A Shadow's Requiem
by Violet's Veil
Summary: The seventh year would be as normal as a witch's life could be until Hermione meets a strange boy that who first seemed to be perfect until strange things began to occur. As she presses on she finds a story of love, hate, betrayal, forgiveness and regret.
1. Another Fight

**_New Edit: A/N: this is my first fan fiction that I intended on being longer than 1-10 chapters and it is also the first story I've written that was heavy on drama as well as romance. There are several characters in this story that I created for the sake of telling it as I saw fit and I feel that it turned out pretty good in the end. Many times the story changed direction as I'm sure was/is obvious to the first people that red it before I edited this Author Note, and that is why I've made minor edits to the story's content and I've went through and corrected the many mistakes that riddled this story even after I double and triple checked. This chapter, in my opinion, was one of the five or six that I felt were poorly written and lacked detail and character, so the majority of this chapter has been edited though none of the important parts have been changed. _**

**_Disclaimer: I'm not really sure why this is important so I will only do it once and once only. I don't own anything related to HP nor do I plan to gain a profit from writing this, if that was the case I would have published my own original fictions by now._**

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Chapter 1**_

_Another Fight_

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_There is something strange about tonight._

Hermione thought to herself wistfully as she made it to her final stop of the night during her lone patrolling. The air was bitter and cold and when she stepped foot on top of the tower, a chill rushed through her. She rubbed her cloak sleeves against her arms beneath to generate some warmth. Suddenly she wished that Ron was here with her as he was supposed to be instead of at a late night Quidditch practice. But what would Ron do for her even if she wasn't alone up here? She'd do better just protecting herself just to be safe. With that thought she pulled her wand from her pockets and walked across the tower. She paused and leaned against the turrets to look over the edge, from here she could see the Gryffindor Quidditch team flying around across the sky like blurs. Sometimes she imagined herself up there doing those stunts that her friends did, but sports just wasn't her thing, they most definitely weren't for her.

"I better get going..there's nothing interesting going on up here.." she sighed to herself, she was extremely tired, since the seventh year had started she'd been hard at work and sleep was sometimes very hard to get. She gave one last glance to the players and turned on her heel and began leaving the tower. As she passed back through the telescopes, something..or rather someone..made her stop on a dime. She hadn't realized someone else had been up there. That would explain though why she felt as if she was being watched.

Wand firmly in hand, Hermione thought out a point deduction for the student she'd never seen in her life. She marched toward him with an air of authority and prepared to tell him that he would have ten points deducted from whatever house he was in. The closer she got the more his figure came into view, he was bent over peering through a telescope, his entire face was hidden by shadow.

"You know you aren't supposed to be up here, right?." she said approaching the boy with her wand out. She stopped behind him and put her hands on her hips in a bossy manner.

The student paused from moving the telescope around at the sound of her voice and then went back to what he was doing. Hermione frowned and cleared her throat importantly. He sighed airily and gave a soft chuckle. What was funny? Hermione racked up another ten point deduction in her head just because he wanted to laugh when nothing was funny. What was he doing out here anyway and who was he? She wanted to get the rest of her studying out and get some rest, she didn't have time to be dealing with someone that chuckled when she asked him a question.

"You know its forbidden to be up here without supervision unless you're a prefect, which you aren't since I know every single prefect. Tell me what house you are in so I can deduct points." Hermione said authoritatively, she spun her wand around patiently. She had no intention of getting in an argument with someone. He could just honestly be busy, but if he was busy he should have the decency to tell her why he was up here, maybe she would give him the benefit of the doubt.

"I know, forgive me." the boy spoke. His voice was nothing like she'd ever heard before, it was very distinctive, it was soft yet seemed to carry a jagged edge deep below its surface, but was regardless, it was still very pleasing to the ears. The boy turned around and stood at full height, stepping out of the shroud. The first thing that jumped out at Hermione was his eyes. The boy's eyes were silver. He had long jet black hair that framed his handsome face. He towered over Hermione by over a foot or so, just like Ron Weasely did, but there was something more confident and dominating about how he stood over her as if his height just wasn't a physical attribute but he utilized it to instill various emotions within people.

Hermione was not swayed by his good looks nor the fact that he stood over her like a sky scraper. She crossed her arms over her chest and secretly wished she was a bit taller than she was.

"You aren't supposed to be up here. What house are you in so I can deduct points accordingly?" she made sure her tone was not one that would create a confrontation, though if it did she would be more than capable of handling it—with magic of course. She felt no need to worry though, he didn't seem like the type to get bent out of shape when an authority figure reprimanded them. The boy looked over her wordlessly until his silver eyes met hers. Another shiver rushed through her, she assumed it was from the cold air. His liquid silver eyes held a sudden cold bite to them that quickly turned into docile and pleading look that matched his expression.

"Oh, I beg of you, please do not do that. I merely had to finish up some make up work, thus I required the use of one of these." he said, gesturing towards the telescopes. He had the voice of a singer, his words floated from his lips with enough emotion to make Hermione forget why she had stopped him in the first place.

She shook her head and glanced at his Hogwarts crest to see what house he was in, but it was hidden in the partial darkness. She rolled her eyes to the starry sky before looking back at him. "No, its only fair." The boy sighed and ran a hand through his long raven hair. Maybe she could let it slide...it wasn't as if he was harming anyone, if he had a good reason she would be more than happy to let him get away with it this once. Besides it would save her the trouble of reporting him and the trouble of him having to go to detention or having points removed. "Explain to me why you have make up work and maybe I'll reconsider." she sighed, stuffing her wand into her jeans. "But you know you shouldn't be up here."

He nodded solemnly. "I was quite ill. Someone believed it hilarious to put a mixture of potions in something I drank last week. " he shrugged. Hermione noticed he did actually look slightly pale.

"Fine..but you have to come down with me, so I'll have to wait on you to finish." she said in a resigned tone.

"Great." he gave her a brief smile that didn't reach his eyes and turned his back on her.

Hermione leaned against the stone wall of the tower and stared up at the sky, though she occasionally cast an interested glance in his direction as she waited. When he felt her staring at him he looked up at her and she quickly adverted her eyes, she hadn't meant to stare, she was just strangely drawn to him.

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As the two entered the castle and made their way to the Gryffindor tower, Hermione took the time to take her time in examining him every once in a while. The silence between them was strange to her, she felt the need to say something to him even though she didn't even know his name. Maybe she should start conversation? It was better than listening to the sound of their shoes echo down the empty corridors.

"So tell me, what's your name?" Hermione asked as they reached the Gryffindor portrait hole. The fact lady was leaning against the frame with her eyes closed and mouth wide open, occasional snores emitting from her.

The young man looked over at Hermione, his silver eyes locked onto hers but it took him a while to answer her."Does it matter?"

"Yeah...kinda.." Hermione ran a hand through her hair and put her hands on her hips. "Its the least you can do is tell me your name.." after she didn't turn him in, take points, and waited for nearly two hours up there with him..the least he could do is tell her his name. At least she thought so.

"Call me Richard." he smiled slightly, gazing down at her. While his mouth smiled his eyes held an intense burning that made Hermione look away from them. _His eyes were so strange._

"My name-" she began with the intent of telling him, but he stopped her.

"You are Hermione Granger." he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, never taking his eyes from her. His black cloak swept the floor and clung nicely to his tall slender frame. He was an exceptionally handsome boy, she had to admit, but there was something that seemed extremely out of place about him.

"Yes. How do you know?" she furrowed her brow thoughtfully, how did he know her name? Putting a finger to her lips she looked at him with mild interest, one of the many signs of when Hermione Granger was intrigued and wanted to know answers.

"Everyone does. You are Harry Potter and that Weasel boy's friend." his shoulders rose and fell gracefully in an otherwise casual shrug.

_Well that made sense._

"Weasely." Hermione corrected him with a slight laugh, it wasn't the first time someone called the red head that so she couldn't fault him, his name was very close to the animal's.

"Yeah, Exactly.." Richard sighed airily getting off the the wall and heading down the corridor, he gave her a backwards wave and continued until she saw him disappear around the corner.

That boy there...she should just leave it alone, she'd probably never see him again and it wouldn't really matter one way or the other. This school was comprised of more than thousands of students, the likelihood of her seeing one of the same student that probably wasn't even in the same house as her was probably unlikely, but that didn't shake the weird feeling she had growing in her stomach since she met him. It was probably nothing, she told herself.

"Well?" an irritated female voice said making Hermione start. It was the fat lady in the portrait.

"Oh." Hermione said flushing. "Um...it's _phantom_ isn't it?"

The portrait hole swung open to admit Hermione.

When Hermione climbed through the portrait hole the first thing she saw was Ron sitting in semi-darkness hunched over homework, beside him was a sleeping Harry. It hit Hermione that she was supposed to help them with homework after she'd went patrolling. But of course she'd been on the tower waiting for Richard to do _his_ homework.

"Where have you been?" Ron asked irritably as soon as he laid tired and aching eyes on her. He virtually slammed his quill down on the desk and turned in his seat to get a better view of her. He was frowning deeply and his eyes were narrow and wrought with irritation. Hermione sighed mentally, he was always in a pissy mood when he was sleep deprived, what made this any different?

"I was .." she trailed off approaching the table and examining the work. "...you haven't done _any _of this?" she glanced at Harry, he was still asleep and sprawled out on several pages of homework. Ron on the other hand was frowning and glaring at her, his blue eyes were ready to set ablaze.

"Well, _hell, _Hermione of course not, we needed _your_ help. _Where_ were you?" his voice raising slightly. Hermione became defensive, she was not in the mood for an argument and there was no reason for him to raise his voice. How dare he ask her where she was, he could have done his own homework if he had actually paid attention in class.

"_I _was on the astronomy tower... helping someone.." she explained the gist of it . When she finished Ron had a deep ugly frown on his face, distorting his otherwise pleasant features.

"So." he said rudely. "You were helping some _other boy _with his homework. What _else_ did you _do for_ him!"

Hermione didn't like the way Ron was talking to her but tried to keep her voice stable for peace's sake. "Perhaps you should have done your own work, Ronald." she crossed her arms haughtily. Inside she was already beginning to break down, she hated arguing with him, could they go a day without getting into some spat about something completely ridiculous? For once she just wanted him to be responsible and stop holding her in contempt for his own laziness. He was a great boy and he was one of her best friends but the arguments were started to become a bit much. Every day now they seemed to have some sort of blow up, just yesterday they got into it about Yogurt. "If you would stop being so damn lazy--"

Ron stood up, making Hermione step back slightly and loose her calm, his face was fixed in a frown. "_Lazy?! I'm not Lazy_! You're Lazy.." he said in a hiss. "you should be helping us instead of some guy you met a few minutes ago! I mean what is that about?! Do you realize how long we were sitting here waiting on you?! That was so inconsiderate, you're starting to slack off Hermione! Get out of my face!"

Hermione stepped back and bit her tongue, that hurt her a little and he knew it. Her eyes stung with annoyed tears and the blinked constantly to hold them back. She looked hard at him and wordlessly turned on her heel and ran up the girl's staircase to her dormitory. When she got there she slammed the door, causing the sleeping occupants to rise. She flung herself onto her bed, she was exhausted emotionally and psychically, did Ron really have to start something with her tonight?!

Before she could stop them, the tears began to roll from her eyes and down her face, dampening her pillow, her soft sobs filled the otherwise silent room.

"What the-" one of her dorm mates whispered.

"That boy Ron I bet..." another said.

"Most likely." Parvati said.

"Shame really. This happens at least once or twice everyday now." Lavender said.

_No one to wipe away your tears..._

What was she hearing voices now too? It sounded so nice, so warm and polite, not at all rude and loud like the voice of her friend's downstairs. She closed her eyes and strained to listen to the voice again hoping it would come, if she focused on the voice instead of on Ron or her hectic day, she could quickly find rest and the tears would stop. Why did she let Ron make her cry anyway? She should be used to it by now..

_He doesn't deserve it...why do you have such feelings for the boy? You deserve someone better..someone great..like me...I would never irritate you until you burst into sad and pitiful tears..I'd love you forever...and ever...don't you want that?_

The voice was strangely familiar, she couldn't pin point it but she knew she'd heard it before. Slowly, while straining to listen to the distant and distinct voice chiming in the back of her head like a song in a waterfall, she began to fall asleep and her tears lay forgotten. Only when she awakened the next morning did she remember that she had been crying and why.

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**A_/N: I feel that this edit is much much better, I regret that this wasn't the first time it was posted in the first place. There is so much I could do for the beginning of this story, after reading over it, I see that it needs severe edits. I'm going to embark on a tiny project that shouldn't consume too much time. I'm going to reconstruct chapters 2-7, then I think I'll be proud of the beginning like I am of the ending. My writing was not very good at the beginning of this story, I don't know why, maybe because I wasn't taking it very seriously or maybe because I was 15/16? I notice the parts of the story when I was 16 and when I turned 17 are much better than the beginning. None the less, since I've been writing another story and I've been getting great critiques and I've been thinking deeper into my writing, its become a hit, and I just wanted this story to be able to live up to something even after its become hidden in the millions of HP stories archived on this site._**


	2. The Boy

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_**Chapter 2**_

_Pumpkin Juice_

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Hermione, while getting dressed, decided to be the better person and set things right with Ron, after all they were _friends _right? She felt they were too old to be fighting like this, this was way too immature. Ron clearly was having a bad day and decided to take out his frustrations on her, she should have just turned the other way and left it alone. The last thing she wanted was to be fighting with her two closest friends when this was their final year together before they left and became men and women.

With that thought in mind, she started the day with confidence.

Things didn't go exactly as planned though.

Hermione made her way to the Gryffindor table to see Ron and Harry talking about something. When she sat down Harry acknowledged her with a nod and continued talking but Ron didn't even look her way. She sighed to herself; Ron was not going to make this easy was he? He was acting like they were in their first year all over again. She decided to leave it alone for the time being and just eat something.

Hermione began to pile food on her plate and saw that the pumpkin juice was beside Ron, who was diagonal from her. She saw this as a great opportunity to fix things. She figured, if she got the juice from him, she could use it as a conversation piece and start from there. No need to be acting like two moronic children. She smiled softly and opened her mouth to speak.

"Ron?" she said, her voice overly sugared. She frowned slightly. Most people would respond to niceness, regardless of how forced it might be. Ron however, continued to talk to Harry, his face set. He seemed determined to ignore or annoy her today. What was his problem?

"Ron, Hermione's calling you mate." Harry said pointedly. Hermione gave Harry a grateful glance. Ron turned toward Hermione with a slight frown.

"What?" he all but barked.

Hermione flinched at his tone but kept the smile on her face. He was taking this way out of proportion.

"Could you pass me the-" Hermione was asking but Ron cut her off.

"This?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

"Yes. That-" Hermione was saying but once again he cut her off.

"No." he said simply, the fake smile fading. "Get it yourself, Harry and I had to stay up until five working because of you. Get it _your fucking self damn it_." he said with a frown.

Hermione-and Harry's- mouth dropped open in slight surprise... She stood up with as must dignity as she could muster and snatched up her bag, it hit her tray and food went flying everywhere. "I'm not going to sit here and take this." she said in a low voice that only Ron and Harry could hear. "I'm sorry-" she said. She turned on her heel and stormed from the great hall.

Hermione plowed her way through the corridors and finally stopped to catch her breath. She leaned against a wall in an empty hallway and slid to the floor, covering her face with her hands. She refused to cry, she was done crying about every little asinine thing Ron did. She just was tired of the conflicts, now it seemed he would blow up at her about the tiniest thing. She just sat there quietly for a moment, in the darkness created by her palms. She'd been there for a few moments when someone gently pulled her hands from her face, for a sweet second she believed it was Ron, but this person's hands were cold.

"Why are you crying?" the person was saying. Hermione opened her eyes, it was Richard, and he was watching her with concern.

"I-I dunno." Hermione said trying to force a smile, tears stung her eyes. She hated that feeling, when someone asked what was wrong, that only made it worse. That's when the tears of being vulnerable, more than anything, would form. It was not a nice feeling to have someone know you were open, weak, or hurting. Their concern would mix in with the already raw emotions and cause unnecessary tears. She wished Richard would just leave. His strange gray eyes stared at her. Richard brushed some stray tears from her face; his hands were so cold that Hermione recoiled slightly.

"Do not lie. You and I both know what caused these tears." Richard said softly.

Hermione considered telling Richard exactly why she was upset. It would be nice to have someone to at least listen, though he couldn't really do much about it. It was her own personal task to straighten this petty mess with Ron out and she knew it. Richard's words might be nice, sincere even, but they were pretty empty in her mind. How could he know how she was feeling right now? She wasn't sad, she was exhausted emotionally from dealing with the on/ off friendship she'd had with Ron for six and a half years.

"It's...stupid. Ron just...got on my nerves a little. He's being petty. It all started with some homework last night...and then orange juice..." she continued to tell him the gist of what happened and began to find herself ranting. When she finished, a frown was on Richard's face but she felt mildly better.

"Why, do you call that Weasel boy your friend if he's always starting arguments with you?" he asked her.

Hermione shrugged pathetically. That was a question she's couldn't answer without being ridiculed. "It's not Ron's fault, he doesn't mean the things he says." Hermione reasoned, knowing this statement _just had to be true. _Friends argue. That was just as simple as that. She just happened to argue more than most friends did with Ron.

"Has he ever apologized?" Richard asked softly, his voice layered with concern. Hermione shook her head. It bothered her that Ron had never apologized for hurting her-ever, but it just seemed a lot worse than it was when Richard said it.

"And you call him your _friend_? He seems rather immature. I mean I know a lot of people who would love to be your-uh- friend and would treat you like you deserve to be treated." Richard said with something like sincerity.

"Like-like you?" Hermione asked, slightly skeptical. He was saying too many of the right things for her to really believe him. She might be young but she was in the world long enough to know when a male saw a vulnerable girl, sometimes they used that as a vessel to get something from them. Richard didn't seem to be that kind of guy though; maybe she could hear him out.

"Yes."he said smiling down at her, Hermione looked up into his eyes but looked away just as quickly, something in those eyes scared her.

"Are you going to feel better?" Richard asked standing up and then helping her up. Hermione nodded, unable to speak. She brushed off her jeans and Richard handed her bag to her.

"Have fun in class Hermione, I'll be _seeing you around, trust me_." he said.

Hermione made her way down the corridor, she looked back to see that Richard was already gone. It occurred to her that she still didn't know what house he was in or what his surname was.

Hermione went through most of her classed with an oddly cheerful and distracted demeanor. Many people in these classes noticed this. Harry especially noticed when she began making simple mistakes on her class work. Ron resentfully noticed there was a smile on her face all day. At lunch she barely ate and didn't say much of anything. No one else really knew what was up with her, but Hermione did. She was doing this mostly to irritate Ron and to save face. She knew it was petty to irritate him, but it was the only weapon she had right now to stop herself from flying off the handle.

That night she sung love songs while doing her homework and happily helped Harry with his. The love songs, were not on purpose, she'd been listening to a girl sing earlier during lunch to a group of friends and the song had inspired her to go back to many of her favorites. She knew, in the back of her mind, however, that the odd display would get under Ron's skin.

Hermione finished the last paragraph of her essay for transfiguration with reluctance, knowing that patrolling was next and that meant being alone with Ron. She was not willing to go patrol with him, because of the threat of a possible fight, but she was also eager to settle things before it dragged on for yet another day.

"Well, I'm going to bed early, don't forget we have practice tomorrow in the morning. It's Saturday. Well have fun children." Harry said getting up and going up the boy's staircase.

Hermione stood up, groaning inwardly, Ron stood as well. They headed out of the portrait hole in a thick silence. The two said nothing but secretly stole glances at each other, wishing the other would talk. When they reached the tower where Hermione had met Richard, Ron broke the ice with a snide comment.

"So...this is where you met Pippy." Ron said, airily, walking over to an edge of the tower and leaning over it. Hermione amused herself with the thought of pushing him off of it and hearing him scream in horror like a little girl.

"I don't know a _Pippy_, his name is Richard, Ron." Hermione said snappishly, secretly glad they were talking again. She folded her arms; it was rather cold even though it was a warm night.

Hermione felt a chill run down her spine looked over her shoulder. Something wasn't right…something was here with them. No she was being silly. She shook it off. _'I'm becoming paranoid.'_ she thought.

Ron was still leaning over the edge of the tower, and now Hermione was becoming slightly worried for Ron's health now. She tried to ignore the creeping feeling in the pit of her stomach. Nothing was wrong; this was a perfectly calm cool night. Right?

"Why exactly are you leaning over that?" Hermione asked, lightly, not trying to spark another argument.

"I dropped something over here in class the other day." Ron replied in the same kind of tone.

Hermione became increasingly nervous, and she had every right to be. Ron and Hermione were not alone on this tower. Hidden in a dark corner was a person that no one knew, or at least they never remembered. He made it part of his plan to get rid of Ron, so there would be no one standing in his way of what he wanted. He picked up his wand and aimed it at the red haired boy who was still hanging halfway over the tower.

"This will be harder than expected..." he muttered irritated, Hermione had went over to Ron. She said something to him and apparently that made him stop leaning dangerously over the edge of the tower. The person in the shadows watched this with annoyance as the two on-again friends left the tower hurriedly.

"You seem jumpy Hermione" Ron said as they reached the portrait hole. Hermione shook her head and gave him a big smile.

"I'm fine really." She sighed and tucked loose strands of her overly bushy hair behind her ears.

"You sure?" Ron said with slight concern in his voice, it may have been his imagination but she seemed pale and nervous. "Look at me for a second."

Hermione looked up at him blankly, what was he thinking? Ron stared hard at her face for a moment; her brown eyes seemed ...he couldn't explain it. He shrugged.

"Okay then now that you're done with that let's go inside." Hermione looked up at the fat lady's portrait; she was asleep as usual by the time they got back from patrols. She looked over at Ron with a small knowing smile. He raised a red eyebrow and turned his face to the portrait.

"GET UP!" he shouted loudly, his voice echoing in the halls. The fat lady sat up with a start, angry and sputtering.

"How dare you! You will not talk to me that way, you have no respect-"

"Yeah yeah yeah yeah whatever." Ron said nonchalantly leaning against the portrait and ignoring her constant yelling at him. Hermione stifled a laugh and said the password.

That night Hermione found it hard to find sleep though she was happy. She couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was going to happen. It was only a matter of how, when, why, and where.

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**A/N: I have edited this chapter slightly because I came to the realization that it sucked... funny isn't it? I still think there's something missing in this chapter...hmmm. This is one of my shortest chapters I notice….this and chapter three. I also noticed the characters, mainly Ron and Hermione, were just a little out of character, I seemed to harp on one aspect of their personality instead of the whole thing. Review please.**


	3. Castle in the sky

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_**Chapter 3**_

_Castle in the sky_

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Hermione had a rough day. She was trying to keep up with all her work in class but her mind kept drifting off to Richard, who she hadn't seen in about one week. She didn't know if she was just worried about the boy because he came off as a loner, or if she had a crush on him. Probably the former. She didn't have time to have crushes on people, especially for superficial reasons. There was only one person she'd had her eye on, and that wasn't going anywhere. She had too much on her mind, like keeping her grades in check, what she was going to do after graduation, and where in the world Ron was right now. She waited patiently in the common room for Ron to come back from Quidditch practice that evening. She had finished up her homework and was now sitting in a large comfortable armchair and staring blankly into the dancing flames in the fireplace. She was beginning to drift off into sleep..

_I need you…don't you get it? You are making this harder than it has to be. _

Scenes flashed across her mind's eye: a forest, a figure in white, a shadow, screaming, a girl crying….

_I need you to be…_

"Hey, Hermione." Ron's voice said suddenly right in her ear. Hermione jumped slightly and turned around. She instinctively moved her face away from his, their noses were almost touching.

What was that about?

"Hermione?"

She blinked.

"So Ron you're ready?" she said calmly, standing up and brushing off her robes and cloak. Ron nodded, he was still in his Quidditch robes and they were covered in mud.

They left together. Hermione did not bring up what she had seen in her half-sleep. It wasn't important and it didn't mean anything, but it still disturbed her none the less. The two patrolled in silence. The corridors had become noticeably colder because autumn was now in full force. Hermione hugged herself in spite of the fact that she was wearing a cloak and robes.

They were met by a violent cold blast as they came atop the tower. Hermione grunted and hugged her robes closer to herself. Ron took a quick look around and declared that it looked the same as always and that he was cold.

"No...wait." Hermione said, she'd just spotted a constellation in the sky that she hadn't seen since she was five. She walked over to the edge of the tower and stared upward.

"What do you see?" Ron asked curiously, he came up beside her and watched her. Hermione glanced into his green eyes and smiled slightly. He looked away.

"I see the castle in the sky." she replied softly, she pointed upward at the black sky that was lit up by millions of stars. She drew out the constellation with her finger; she squinted as she connected the stars that made the Castle in the Sky constellation.

"I've never heard of it." Ron said frankly. He frowned against the night sky trying to see what she was talking about. Hermione laughed. Ron looked at her, still frowning slightly. "Well blimey, I really can't." he said. Hermione took his hand in her without thinking and raised it up to the sky. If she had looked over she would have noticed that he was watching her and not the sky. Hermione made his hand draw the constellation.

"See Ron...there it is." she said after successfully seeing the constellation again. She looked over at Ron and their eyes met. She felt a tingle go through her but she kept herself composed. She blinked.

Ron on the other hand had quickly adverted his eyes and was visibly blushing. He looked toward the sky. "Oooh I see it." he said. Hermione looked back to the constellation as well. "What's so special about...the castle in the sky?" he asked. He wriggled his hand out of hers.

Hermione crossed her arms, mostly against the cold but also to have something to do with them. "Well...when I was five, my mum pointed it out to me and told me that a long time ago a beautiful princess was trapped in that castle and she waited for her knight in shining armor but he never came and she didn't want him to get lost on his way to find her so...she implanted a image of her castle so he could find it...he did and-" Hermione was saying dreamily but Ron interrupted her abruptly.

"So...you like that story? Ha, those stories annoy me." Ron said. "Why?" Hermione said, for her the moment was now ruined and all because of Ron.

"It's saying that a girl has to wait to be saved. I say save your own damn self." Ron said putting his fist in the air to show emphasis. Hermione blinked. She didn't know whether she should strangle Ron or hug him. Hermione chuckled to herself. Standing in a dark corner, unseen, was Richard; he was watching this scene with growing anger and jealousy. He would have to do something with Ron once and for all.

* * *

Hermione went to bed with a smile on her face, the moment with Ron still fresh on her mind. When they had bad moments they were bad, but their good moments were great. The good always outweighed the bad and Ron meant a lot to her, as a friend and…maybe more. It was nice to share something like that with him. With that thought fresh on her mind, she faded into a deep sleep.

_She was standing at a waterfall in the clearing of a forest. The waterfall's water wasn't falling but flowing upward, denying the laws of gravity. She stood there in silence staring at it's wonder when a voice behind her spoke._

_  
"Love me." it said. Hermione turned around and saw two silver disembodied eyes floating right in front of her._

_  
"What?" Hermione said confused. _

_"I love you. Say you love me." the eyes said calmly._

_  
"Why?"_

_  
"SAY IT." the eyes said, it's voice very familiar._

_  
"I love you." Hermione heard herself say, even thought she didn't mean it._

Hermione woke up and looked around. It was completely dark in the room but she could see a eerie white figure hovering out of the room. Hermione dismissed it as someone smoking...(she knew for a fact that Parvati smoked in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.)  
She didn't know it at that moment but she'd just put someone she cared a lot about in greater danger than they were already in.

* * *

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**A/N: Yes I know this chapter is short and that disappoints me but there is nothing more I can do to help it. It was necessary none the less. Please Review!**


	4. Dividaldi

**A/N: Yes I am updating twice and maybe even three or four times. You all deserve it. Anyway this chapter is longer than chapter three...**

**Disclaimer: I blah blah blah blah blah..coughs I don't own any character but Richard. And no I don't own Auron's katana either. (don't ask)**

_**Chapter 4**_

_Ron's 'Death'_

Hermione wasn't expecting anything to worsen or have any reason to be afraid when she fell went to bed a week after she'd had that odd dream about the eyes.  
She lay in bed, in fetal position, slowly drifting into sleep. She was thinking about Ron-this wasn't unusual, she thought about him often- she was thinking about the look on his face when she'd told him she loved him. No she didn't say she was IN love with him. It was a causal thing. But she wished she hadn't said it, sure it was better than an argument, but it might change something or hurt someone.

_Hermione found herself in a dimly lit room, lit by an unseen source. There was a figure laying stiffly on the floor. She walked over to it. She tried to scream but nothing came out. It was Ron..he was on the floor. Clearly dead.  
Suddenly a voice-low and mysterious and evil- spoke.  
"You said you loved only me! Leave him! You are only supposed to love me! Hermione. So I killed him"  
"You killed him! Who are you"  
The voice, now familiar, began to cry and laugh at the same time. This person was clearly insane_.

"Hermione"  
Hermione sat up in bed, her heart beating rapidly and she was drenched in sweat.  
"Hermione!" Ginny screamed again, she was shaking Hermione roughly.  
"Ginny..Wha?" Hermione tried to say, she was still groggy.

"Its...its...its..Ron...he...he..he's...DEAD!"

Hermione jumped out of her bed, feeling as if her heart was about to stop. "What!" she said, her voice cracking.  
Ginny's eyes widened while Hermione's stung with tears.  
"Oh..oops..I mean...something tried to kill him." Ginny said more calmly.  
"WHAT!" Hermione said, none of this was making sense to her. "Where is he? How"  
Ginny pulled Hermione toward the door. "I'll explain as we walk. I heard-everyone heard- him screaming like bloody murder. Then he ran down the stairs in a panic talking about someone tried to kill him. Worried me and Harry"

The two reached the common room where a disturbing sight met their eyes. They only saw the end of it but Harry and Neville were magicking a stretcher out of the portrait hole.  
"Oh my-" Ginny cried, holding on to Hermione. "What happened"  
Neville saw them and stayed behind while Harry left out with Ron's body.  
"Is he..." Hermione said feeling sick. Neville shook his head gloomily.

"No..not yet anyway. He passed out. I think he might have been hurt more than he thought. I think one of those thingies that attack people while they're sleeping...might have gotten him. They try to smother you." Neville said leaving. Hermione racked her brain for the name of this creature but couldn't think of it.  
Hermione gave Ginny a worried look.  
"It wasn't one of them. Ron wouldn't be able to fight one off." Besides he kept calling his assailant a 'he'." Ginny was saying almost to herself.  
"Let's go to the hospital wing." Hermione muttered grimly.

When the girls reached the hospital wing Neville and Harry were standing outside, their arms crossed and their faces set. Hermione took this as a bad omen. Ginny took Hermione's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.  
"Hermione. Ginny." Harry said in greeting. They nodded.  
"What is happening? Where is Ron?" Hermione asked, her voice cracking slightly.  
"In there." Neville said, he too almost crying.  
"Is my brother still..." Ginny asked pausing.  
"I think so-wait." Harry was saying when Madame Pompfrey came into the hall. Her face was unreadable. A lump grew thick in Hermione's throat.  
"Please." Ginny said. "What is going on now"  
"He is still unconscious. Apparently..." Madame Pompfrey said sighing, she wiped her forehead. It was clear she was tired. "...someone-I'm sure it was a person- came at him with the dividaldi curse"  
Hermione gasped. That curse was very powerful and violent. One would only use it with the intent to kill. The curse was like a cut form a blade but it was deeper and continued to cut even deeper even after the curse had been cast. It was one someone would use to someone they hated very deeply and wanted to see suffer. Hermione had only seen pictures of what the curse could do-it was very brutal and highly gruesome.

"Will...will he live?" Ginny said shaking. "Who would want to hurt my brother"  
"I dunno." Harry said taking Ginny from Hermione and embracing her comfortingly.  
"I'll be back. I have to treat him again." Madame Pompfrey said leaving.

The seconds melted into minutes melted into hours.

Neville left when it became daybreak, all was left was Ginny, Harry, and Hermione. They were all quiet and quite anxious. Bleary-eyed and tired. Harry was leaning against a wall near Ginny who was sitting on the floor.

Hermione was staring blankly at the door. Hermione didn't know what she would do if Ron-or Harry- died. Sure they argued non-stop but Hermione cared a lot about Ron. She wouldn't know how to go on...if they died. She didn't even want to think about how a funeral for Ron would go. She would say something like 'When Ron was alive..'. It hurt even to think about it. If he was okay she swore she'd run in that room and hug him and kiss him and tell him everything about how he made her feel...sometimes. If Ron died right now she would probably go insane. She vaguely wondered if her dreams and Ron's condition was connected. She couldn't be sure.  
The ward doors opened and Madame Pomfrey came out, a small tight smile on her face. It was obvious she'd been up all night.

"I think he'll live." she sighed wiping her brow. "It is hard to stop the curse from hacking someone up...but I stopped it before it severed a major artery or an organ...whoever did this is full of hate-I will have the Slytherin house investigated. ...Ronald is conscience but he might not want to talk much"  
Hermione's heart lifted, she darted to the door but Madame Pomfrey stopped her.  
"I'd rather his sister go in first...One at a time. He doesn't need all the confusion"  
Ginny hurried to the door but stopped suddenly. "How bad is it"

Madame Pomfrey smiled. "From the outside? Not bad. Besides its mostly his chest...which I doubt you'll see since he's beneath sheets." with that she headed off down the corridor.  
Ginny entered the hospital room. Hermione and Harry waited.

"You can go in next-if you want to." Harry said suddenly. Hermione shook her head.  
"No. I'll wait." she said quietly. She didn't know what to Ron once she got in there.  
Ginny came out about twenty minutes later. She looked calmer. "He's okay...he seems normal enough. Asked about you two...I'm going..I've only realized that we're all in our pajamas and night gowns." with that Ginny left.

Harry gave Hermione a thumbs up and then entered the ward doors. Hermione sat in a waiting room chair and waited. She tried to think of anything but Ron. She thought about Richard, how she hadn't seen him in about a week. Then she thought about Ron's gravestone...what would it say? What would her own say? What would people say about her at her funeral? Would she be missed? She shook these scary thoughts from her mind and counted the tiles on the floor.  
"One...two...three...seventeen...thirty-seven...sixty-two...nine-hundred...twenty-two thousand six-hundred and twenty-five..." she counted.

Soon Harry returned and Hermione grew nervous. She felt as if she was going in for an interview that would change her entire life. "How..how is he?" Hermione asked, her voice high-pitched.

"He's fine..giving the fact that someone tried to cut him into ribbons. I'll be back later." Harry left.  
Hermione took a deep breath and entered the ward. The first thing that happened when she entered was she was smacked in the face by a thick smell of many different medications and ointments for different patients. The second thing that happened was Hermione spotted Ron. He was alive though not well. He was propped against pillows on a hospital bed, staring out of the window. He looked toward Hermione when she entered-then looked away at a window. The sun was completely out now..but it was mostly covered by Grey clouds of winter.

"Hi Ron...how are you?" she asked approaching the bed. Her plan to kiss and hug him and confess her love to him flew out of the window. Ron rolled his eyes but kept them toward the window.  
"I'd be perfect if Richard hadn't tried to hack me to death. It was like a Katana cutting through me...with him holding it and not letting go. But otherwise I'm fine." he said sarcastically. His voice surprised Hermione. She'd been expecting Ron to sound weak since he'd almost just died. But on the contrary, he sounded healthy, and understandably a little irritated.  
"Don't be silly Ron." Hermione smiled nervously. "We...we're glad you're okay." she said ignoring the part about Richard.

"It was HIM Hermione." Ron said lowly, staring out of the window with a frown.  
"Ron really. You don't even know what Richard looks like." Hermione said, in spite of herself she became irritated. She'd wanted to comfort Ron, hold him and maybe even sing him a song. Cry with him and kiss his wounds..not get in an argument. He was such a moronic twit sometimes she thought. Even when he was half dead.  
"Aren't you supposed to be on MY side?" Ron said turning to look at Hermione. Hermione stared directly in his eyes, they seemed to be angry...and a little hurt. Hermione looked at the floor.

"It wasn't Richard"

"Just because you are lovesick over this weirdo doesn't make him innocent Hermione. You don't know anything about him." Ron said, his voice unnaturally calm.

It was true, Hermione knew nothing about Richard but she trusted him. Maybe Ron was jealous.

"You're not well Right now Ronald. We will talk later." she said quickly leaving the hospital room.

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_**A/N: Please review and all that jazz. If you don't bad things might happen like an entire race of kittens taking over the world or someting.**_


	5. Ron and Richard

**A/N: Here you all go. Thanks for all of the reviews and all the love.**

**Disclaimer: Do I LOOK like I own Harry Potter? Didn't think so. I only own Richard.**

_**Chapter 5**_

_Ron and Richard_

After Ron's near-death experience, Hermione was sure that their friendship wouldn't be on the rocks again. Or at least not quickly.  
But she was wrong., she and Ron bickered constantly about little things (once they argued about butter and margarine), but mostly about Richard.  
Hermione stood by her firm belief that Richard was a great person. Ron continued to say things against Richard-especially accusing him of attempted murder.

Hermione knew that she should be on Ron's side about it all but she couldn't.  
"Oh Ron would you stop? You don't even know Richard." Hermione was saying one day at breakfast. Ron had just begun his daily rant about Richard and about Hermione's continuing to talk to him.  
"I don't have to know him." Ron said making a face. He picked up his pumpkin juice and made a show out of sniffing it.  
Hermione and Harry exchanged a look and laughed.  
"What are you doing?" Harry asked laughing.  
"I think he's checking to see if Richard poisoned his glass." Hermione said rolling her eyes. Sometimes Ron could be a little extreme with his ways and his jokes.

At least that's what Hermione thought, what she didn't know was that Ron was serious.  
"Oh, Ron. You've never even seen him before." Hermione continued to say. But that was about to change.

Hermione was in the library later that afternoon doing research on a spell that reflects opponents attacks and sends them back at the opponent.  
"...reflectra Is a very powerful spell.." She muttered as she read a very thick volume on defensive spells. "it's getting cold in here." Hermione said to herself. She looked up and gave a start.  
"Hi, Miss Hermione." said a pair of Grey/silver blue eyes staring at her. It was Richard. Hermione began to breathe again.  
"Hi...Richard. How are you today?" Hermione asked shoving the large book she'd been reading out of the way so he could sit down. He sat.  
"I'm fine...considering...What are you reading?" he asked never taking his strange eyes off her. Hermione was a bit uncomfortable under his gaze so she looked away but she could still feel his eyes on her.  
"I'm...reading a book about advanced spells." she said showing the book to him. His eyes skimmed over it and he handed it back to her. "Are you familiar with any Richard"  
"Oh...plenty." he replied, dismissively. "So"  
"Oh..Man." Hermione said suddenly. Ron and Harry had just entered the library and were coming over to her.  
"What distresses you?" Richard asked softly, placing his cold hand on hers. Her heart skipped a beat at the gesture but she pulled her hand away gently. But not fast enough before Ron and Harry saw this. Ron frowned slightly. He and Harry reached the table. Ron's eyes widened then narrowed into slits when they landed on Richard. Though no one noticed this.  
"Who's he?" Ron said rudely.  
"You should know." Richard muttered lowly. Hermione didn't hear this and neither did Harry, but Ron did and clenched his fists under his robes.

"Richard...meet Harry Potter and Ron Weasel...I Mean Weasely. I meant Weasely. This is Richard."

"I've heard a lot about you." Harry said politely as Richard stood up to shake their hands. Richard smiled and glanced at Hermione.  
"Nice to formerly meet you finally Potter." Richard said shaking his hand . Harry was a bit surprised at how cold Richard's hands were. "You too..Weasel...y." Richard said holding out his hand to Ron.  
Ron frowned and stared at Richard's outstretched hand like it was gum on the bottom of his shoe. Harry nudged him. Ron grudgingly shook his hand. He too was surprised that Richard's hands were so cold.  
Ron and Richard stood there staring at each other, Ron with obvious dislike. And Richard -and unreadable expression. After a few moments of this Hermione grew uncomfortable.  
"Uh...what are you two in the library for?" she asked hoping to distract them.  
"Richard and Ron continued to glare at each other. "Uh...what?" Harry answered while watching the two boys with growing apprehension. "We were looking for you"  
"Why?" Hermione asked.  
"Break is over." Harry said as if it was obvious.  
"Oh! We're late." she cried springing into action. She shoved her books into her bag.  
"Come on Ron." Harry said punching him slightly on the shoulder and nodding toward the door.  
"Oh crap!" Hermione cried, annoyed. Her bag had split from the bottom.  
"I'll help you Hermione." Richard said leaving Ron and going over to her. He pulled out his wand-in the light Hermione could see it was a very unusual wand- and repaired the seams. Then he picked up all her books and put those in the back. Hermione smiled at him gratefully.  
"Thank you so much." Hermione said hugging him before thinking. She vaguely noticed that his body...was pretty thin. He hugged her back-almost in a possessive way.  
"We're going to be LATE!" Ron almost screamed directly into Hermione's ear. His voice showed jealousy and irritation.  
Hermione quickly let go of Richard who gave her a small smile. A strange feeling occurred in her somewhere. She stared into his eyes--slowly forgetting her surroundings.  
"HERMOINE! LATE!" Ron said again.  
"What?" Hermione said shaking her head as if to get out of a trance.  
"We're going to be late. " Harry said checking his watch. Ron looked very bothered now.  
"Oh..." Hermione said feeling her face grow warm.

The walk back to class wasn't a pleasant one. Ron took this time to bad mouth Richard.  
"Ooh..my gosh. His hands were so cold. Richard he calls himself... I mean why were they so cold? What does he DO with those hands of his own?" Ron could be heard saying as they walked down the empty corridor to class. "He's like some freak or something. Why haven't we seen him anywhere else? It's like he just...appeared. Or maybe he's in disguise. Maybe he's really a child molester!" Ron was saying but Harry cut him off seeing that Hermione was becoming angry.  
"-We are five minutes late. It can't be too bad." Harry said quickly changing the subject. "It's Magonagal we're talking about here." Ron said forgetting about Richard for a while.  
Harry and Ron continued to chat but Hermione stayed silent. She had become extremely irritated by the way Ron was talking about Richard. She felt like she might be beginning to like Richard and didn't want to hear anything against him. At least unlike Ron...he treated her like she mattered.

That evening Hermione patrolled alone, which seemed to happen often now since Harry had the quidditch team practicing often. She made the rounds in silence, trying not to make her self think for she knew that her mind would most likely drift to what had happened earlier. Not what had happened in the library but what had happened in Professor Mcgonagal's class. The three had been almost eight minutes late for her class and she didn't let them hear the end of it. Magonagall's shrill voice still echoed in her head.

_'Miss Granger I would have expected more from you'_.Hermione shivered and hugged her arms to her chest. This was mostly because it was very cold in the castle during the autumn and winter months.

Hermione finally made it to her final destination: The north astronomy tower.  
The air up here was biting cold and Hermione wished she'd brought her cloak. Hermione walked idly across the surface of the tower. Hermione stopped before leaving the tower, she went to the edge and stared up at the sky. There it was, the castle in the sky. "The castle in the sky right, Miss Hermione" a voice said right beside her. Hermione jumped and looked to her right where the voice had come from. It was Richard.  
"Hi Richard. What are you doing up here? You aren't supposed to ...be up here." Hermione said smiling slightly, remembering how she'd met him. He gave her a brief smile.  
"Yes I know Miss Hermione" he said softly, tossing his floppy black hair out of his face. He turned toward the stars. "the castle in the sky right"  
"Yes, how did you know, most people don't know about it." Hermione said looking back at the constellation. "I know a lot of things, Miss Hermione." he said simply and didn't elaborate. Hermione watched him as he watched the stars. He was a silent person it would seem. And very handsome. He always seemed to have an odd smile on his face, if one looked closer they would see it was a bit strained, as if it hurt for him to smile.

Suddenly Richard looked directly at Hermione with his silver/Grey eyes. Hermione quickly looked away. "Sorry." she muttered, looking back at the castle in the sky. "No..It's quite alright actually...Miss Hermione." Richard replied softly. Hermione glanced at him, he was looking at her.  
"You...are Interesting." she said nodding. She gave him a quick smile and looked back up at the sky, though she couldn't see him anymore, she knew his eyes were still on her.

"You are very. Miss Hermione." Richard replied, he sighed slightly. His breathing didn't sound like others, it sounded slightly like the light tinkling of ice breaking.  
They stood there in silence. Hermione found herself comparing Ron and Richard again. Even this moment was almost the same but with Richard she felt something...else. It was a bit like chills going down her spine and a bit like swimming in warm goo. Ron was so...brash and rude...and stupid. Richard was perfect. And unlike Ron he actually knew about the castle in the sky.  
Hermione turned toward Richard, he looked up at her expectantly, he had an all-knowing expression on his face. Suddenly Hermione felt as if her thoughts weren't her own...she needed to leave.

"Good night Richard...I'll see you tomorrow or whenever." Hermione said quickly leaving the tower before Richard could speak.

_**A/N: I know that this chapter is short and all but you'll see...oh and also:** please leave reviews. How else will I know what you think?_


	6. Instability

**A/N: I feel obligated to let you all know that...I LOVE YOU GUYS! Thanks for reading this fanfiction and thanks for all the reviews and the best is yet to come...me swears it. Well anyway here is the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer I'll own Harry Potter and related etc. When hell freezes over and I grow to 6'1...I doubt either will happen but if they do you'll be the first to know...**

_**Chapter 6**_

_Pumps and Flying Books_

Hermione's eyes popped open and she was instantly blinded by direct sunlight streaming into the dark dormitory. The sunlight was slightly weakened because the season was progressing steadily toward Autumn.  
"Bloody..." Hermione muttered sitting up and rubbing her eyes.  
"Good morning." Parvati coughed as she entered the dormitory from her early morning smoke.  
"Good morning...um...Parvati is it...wise...per say...to...be...well smoking?" Hermione said conversationally as she rolled out of bed and opened her trunk for something to wear today. Hermione knew for a fact that Parvati smoked every morning and sometimes at night. She didn't necessarily like Parvati but she didn't just want the girl to up and die of lung cancer or something.  
"Hermione." Parvati coughed as sprayed a thick perfume over herself and her black hair. "I'm tired of hearing that from you and from Lavender **I** _...unlike you have complete control of my life_ "

_What the hell was that supposed to mean?_ Hermione wondered. She shrugged and slipped into a new pair of jeans her mother had sent her. She'd said in the letter something about a Sisterhood or something. The pants were a bit tight and clung to her hips and thighs in ways that she didn't like.  
"Oh...watch out now. Hermione's a wild child." said Lavender Brown who'd just woken up and was watching them sleepily. "Hermione's got spirit yes she does"  
Hermione rolled her eyes and examined herself in the mirror. The jeans sat low on her body.

"I've got a great shirt that would go with those cute little pants." Parvati said going to her trunk and pulling out a simple pink T-shirt. On the shirt were the words: **_'I might not be hot but at least I look better than you'_**.  
"Hermione...here." Parvati tossed the top to Hermione.  
Hermione pulled the shirt on to find it smelled like cigarette smoke. She kept that to herself. Hermione peered at herself in the mirror now. The pink top in fact clung to her curves like the fabric was holding on for dear life, the shirt stopped above her belly button. "Uh...this isn't me" she protested.  
"Ya look good." Lavender and Parvati chimed in. They had that 'make-over' gleam in their eyes.  
When they finished having their way with Hermione, she had pink nails and toenails. She was now in pink pumps (Lavender's) and her bushy hair had been pulled up into a messy ponytail that was sat on top of her head and held with a pink hair tie.

"You look really nice...unusual for you..." Parvati assured Hermione as she herself got dressed.  
Hermione sighed and took Parvati and Lavender's word for it. She grabbed her bag and walked out. She put one foot in front of the other as she walked down the girls' staircase into the common room. These definitely weren't practical shoes When she finally made her way down the stairs she tripped on her own feet and fell painfully on her face.  
To avoid obvious staring and possible ridicule, Hermione passed up the great hall and instead made her way onto the Hogwarts grounds.

-

She stepped out into the cool autumn air, the sun was shining brightly through a clump of fluffy white clouds, though the sun wasn't really doing much to heat up things.  
Hermione propped her bag near the large doors that opened up the castle. She walked slowly across the grounds taking in the bright colors on the trees around her. She ignored the pain in the heel of her feet that the high-heeled pink pumps had given her. She eventually made it over to the calm darkish lake and noticed a person already standing there. This person had their hands clasped behind their back, legs spread apart, and head looking up towards the sky.  
"Hello Miss Hermione." Richard said without turning around. Hermione smiled and adjusted her shirt, pulling it down over her belly button (it would eventually rise back up anyway so this was pretty unnecessary and walked beside him. Somehow Richard seemed out of place in this bright colorful setting. His skin was so pale.  
"Hi Richard, surprised to see you out." Hermione said lightly. Richard looked at her, his silver/Grey eyes had no light behind them but it seemed he was looking through her.  
"Yes, Miss Hermione. I wanted some sunlight...apparently my _skin is so pale"_.he said stretching the last part as if he could read Hermione's thoughts.  
" Ah...Well...its' nice to see you." Hermione said smiling brightly and staring determinedly at the lake. Richard's eyes were still on her. Hermione vaguely wondered if he was staring at her new hair-do and her figure. Either way it made her slightly uncomfortable. Hermione noticed a sudden rustle of Richard's ever-present robes from the corner of her eye.  
"Ah...that's something you don't see every day." Richard said in that voice of his.  
"Hmm?" Hermione said turning, he was staring toward the forbidden forest. "What did you see?"

Hermione blinked.

"A wood nymph." Richard said, he was already half-way at the entrance of the forest and walking in the gliding fashion he usually walked in. "Well come on Miss Hermione." he said with a laugh that came in short icy breaths. He tossed his floppy black hair and held out his hand for Hermione.  
Hermione thought to herself: If she went off into these woods with this boy would they get lost? And did she have enough time before her first class-Herbology-began? And would they even catch the wood nymph? They were very very rare.  
Hermione took Richard's cold hands and he gently tugged her along into the forest. He spotted the nymph first though Hermione couldn't see it.  
"There it is!" he said, his voice raising as if he was truly excited. Hermione had to run to keep up with Richard's fast pace.  
"Where? I can't see it." Hermione said panting as they went deeper into the forest, as the trees grew thicker the forest grew darker. Soon all the trees looked exactly alike. Hermione sped up as they went down a sloping path and tripped over her feet in those stupid pink pumps. She crashed into Richard and they both were knocked off their feet and sent down the slope.  
Hermione landed on her back, her head slammed against the ground with a sickening thud. Hermione was blinded by a burst of stars for a second then her surroundings slowly came into focus. She was in the forest in pumps, tight jeans, and a too small shirt. And Richard had landed on top of her. Wait..what? Richard was laying on top of her!  
Richard in fact was staring down at her unblinkingly. His body was in fact on top of hers.  
"Ouch...uh..Richard could you get up?" she said trying to stay calm.  
"Of course Miss Hermione. But I think the nymph has gotten away." he said rolling off her.

He cupped her head in his hand and she felt her head laying on his cold lap and he was staring down at her. He moved her hair from her face, his cold fingers brushing against her warm face. "Are you alright?" he asked. Hermione didn't speak, she just stared up at him, it was pretty cold around them, colder than it should have been. Suddenly Hermione felt a numb pain in her right leg. Apparently her right leg was in fact laying under her body and her pump's heel was pressing into her back. Richard pulled a twig out of her hair and looked down at her with something that resembled concern.

"My leg..." Hermione said finding her voice. Richard helped her up but when she tried to stand on her right leg her knees buckled under her weight. Richard held onto her to keep her steady, she was so close to him she could almost smell him. "Can you walk?" he asked concern showing on his handsome face.  
"I think so..." Hermione said clinging to his cold body. She tried again and ignored the protest coming from her leg. "We'd better get back or we'll both be late for class." Hermione said limping to the path only to find it forked. It was becoming obvious that they were lost. "It's...9:00...we are well into our first period classes." she said frustrated. She was NEVER late.  
Richard came up behind her and placed a cold hand on her shoulder. When he did that Hermione felt a strong emotion shoot up in her...it was Anger.

"This is all YOUR FAULT." she barked turning on him. His eyes widened with a surprise, as if he didn't expect Hermione to find fault in him. Hermione continued to release her frustration on him. ""Who knows what the hell that could have been! It might have been a piece of wood that was magicked to walk! Not a wood nymph. Now I've missed half of Herbology and its ALL your fault. I think you brought me here under false pretenses!" she screamed. She put her hands on her hips expectantly, waiting for him to respond with a frown on her face.  
"I'm so sorry..." he said sadly. "I just...I'm sorry for getting us lost. I'm sorry for being an idiot Hermione." he hung his head and turned away from her. Now Hermione felt bad.  
"No..." Hermione said softly. "It's my fault too... I'm sorry. Now let's find our way out of here." she said trying to sound happy. She pitied him. She brushed off her jeans and pink top. They began to search for the way out of the forest.

-

Hermione speed walked down the empty corridor, her heels clacking loudly and echoing. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and continued quickly toward Professor Mcgonagal's class with a slight limp. When she reached the room she put her ear against the door. She could hear muffled voices. She inhaled slowly and then exhaled and turned the knob on the door and pushed it open.  
"Human transfigur-" Dean Thomas was saying, in the middle of answering a question. When Hermione opened the door 30 pairs of eyes shot in her direction and it was silent in the room. Hermione at that exact moment felt like a freak on display. Her hands trembled and she adjusted her bag on her shoulder.  
"Miss Granger?" Professor Mcgonagall said getting up from her desk and adjusting her glasses. She looked Hermione up and down from her pink, scuffed, high heeled pumps to her tight low-rise jeans, her offending small pink T-shirt, and finally her hair.  
"Maam?" Hermione said in a squeaky voice. Her voice was caught in her throat.  
"You're late." Professor Mcgonagal said looking at Hermione with obvious disappointment. Hermione's eyes stung and she blinked constantly to keep from allowing her tears to fall.  
"Well P-professor...M-" Hermione tried to explain while trying not to burst into hysterical tears.  
"No excuses Granger. You are more than forty minutes late for class. It's almost over." she said "But-" Hermione said, her lip quivering slightly. She blinked harder, standing there like a stone.  
"Go sit down Miss Granger." Professor Mcgonagal said curtly. Hermione almost shed a tear right then and there but didn't. She walked (limping slightly) to her seat which was at the back of the room. Enduring remarks from the other students. Ron was staring wide-eyed at Hermione. Hermione wondered what he was looking at. Harry was looking at her like she had two heads. "Oooh Granger's got a wild side." Seamus remarked as she passed by his desk.  
"She's not better looking...lies" a girl could be heard saying.  
"Owie Granger. You're hurting me." Dean laughed playfully. Hermione didn't think this was funny at all.  
"Miss Granger" Professor Mcgonagal said cuttingly and suddenly. Hermione stopped in her tracks but kept her back turned.  
"Maam?" she said hoarsely, staring at the wall behind Ron and Harry's heads.  
"I know for a fact that you were in the forbidden forest with a boy-" the Professor said pausing to shut up the noise that rose from students whispering.. Ron stared at Hermione in disbelief while Harry looked down at his work.. "-don't ask how I know-someone told me. But Miss Granger next time you let your hormones make you this late you will get a letter home and a detention Understood"  
Hermione nodded weakly.

"Furthermore, 150 points from Gryffindor I expected more from you Granger"

Hermione put her head down and walk/limped to her desk. She couldn't even look her friends in the face. She shakily pulled out her books and her inkwell. Her mind was reeling and she was trying her best not to cry though she badly wanted to. Her eyes were watering so much that she couldn't see, the lump in her throat was now painfully thick. She pulled out her quill, her hands shaking violently. She dropped her quill and it seemed to make a loud echoing Harry (who was sitting beside her) picked it up solemnly and handed it to her. He gave her a concerned look. Ron on the other hand gave her a rude glare and then frowned and conentrated on his work.

_Obviously Ron didn't let Hermione hear the end to this all day._

_-_

The day it would seem would only continue to get worse before it got better. It began at dinner, the incident earlier forgotten for now. Hermione was silently eating her chicken while listening to Ginny talk.  
"I was wondering about whether I should ask out Craven, what do you think?" Ginny asked, playing with her mashed potatoes- she was making a fort with them. "I mean he's really cute and sort of quiet..." Ginny was saying. Hermione wasn't listening anymore. Her thoughts had switched to Richard. He was so handsome and sensitive and nice. He treated her like a queen. Unlike Ron who sometimes talked to her any kind of way and treated her like crap. Sure he was cute and his jokes were funny- but he wasn't like Richard.  
"Hermione, I think I'm going to slip arsenic in your pumpkin juice, cut off your fingers, burn your hair off, saw off your toes until they are bloody stumps, gouge out your eyes with a spoon, and rip out your throat and spleen and then watch your wither in pain in a pool of your own blood. Listening to you scream out it agony."

"What?" Hermione said surprised Ginny would say something like that. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"At least now I know you're listening." Ginny explained. " So what should I do about Craven"  
Hermione sighed and glanced at Harry who was sitting beside her. Harry was talking to Ron about quidditch but it would seem that Harry's ears were leaning toward she and Ginny's conversation.  
" Well honestly Ginny." Hermione said, hoping Ginny wouldn't become offended. "I don't think it's a good idea. You don't even know him"  
"Look who's talking." Ron said under his breath.  
"What's he talking about?" Ginny asked interested.  
"I"m not sure." Hermione said glaring at Ron threateningly. She was not in the mood for Ron's antics, she'd gotten scolded by Mcgonagal and it hurt her somewhere in her soul.  
"Well Ginny." Ron said ignoring her glare. He was almost daring Hermione to get angry. " Our sweet adorable little Hermione was all hugged up and cozied with Richard. Do you know who Richard is"  
Ginny looked from Ron to Hermione. " No." Ginny said puzzled. "Who is he?" she asked Hermione but it was Ron who answered.  
" _Richard_ is some Don Juan that Hermione doesn't know but is always **_under_** him." Ron answered. Ginny stared at Hermione.  
Hermione was now irritated. "It's NOT true." she assured Ginny. "Your IDIOT brother here is paranoid." Hermione said loud enough for Ron to hear her. Ron scoffed.

" Paranoid? I have every right to be-" he tried to say but Hermione cut him off.  
"Anyway, Ginny. I'll introduce you to Richard, he's really nice and..."  
"Is he hot?" Ginny asked leaning toward Hermione with interest.  
"No, he looks like a fag" Ron said before Hermione could answer.

-

That was only the beginning. Later in the Gryffindor common room the three friends were working on a pile of homework dumped on them. They'd been going at it for six hours and were hungry, tired, sleepy, and irritable. Hermione-who was taking one advanced course was like fuse ready to be lit.  
Finally Ron and Harry finished, with Hermione's help. "Thanks Hermione." Harry said rubbing his eyes and beginning to put away his books. Hermione nodded and began putting away hers. Ron stood up and stuffed his books in his bag as well.  
"Yeah. At least you were helping helping your real friends instead of _your shagging_ partner RICHARD this time." Ron said half jokingly.  
Hermione's fuse was now lit and she snapped. Before she knew what she was doing the thick book in her hand was thrown at Ron's head. He ducked in time, wide-eyed and shocked.

"Hermione what"  
"I'M SO TIRED OF HEARING THAT! WHAT ARE YOU JEALOUS!" Hermione screamed, blinded by irrational fury. "J-jealous!" Ron sputtered, still in shock. "What are you talking about"  
"You ARE jealous! I"m so tired of you!" Hermione screamed. Ron now caught on to what she was saying.  
"JEALOUS? OF WHAT! OF WHO! RICHARD! WHY WOULD I BE?" Ron barked.  
"Yes!" Hermione said shrilly. " YOU ARE"  
"Why would I be, HE'S A COLD-HANDED FAG"  
"Shut up! I HATE YOU" Hermione cried, tears falling down her face and she didn't know why.

Hermione fled the common room and ran through multiple corridors in a fit of anger. She stormed through the corridors with no destination. Tears continued to fall hot and thick from her eyes, blurring her vision. At some point she flung herself into an empty classroom and onto the cool floor. She sat on her knees and covered her face with her hands, sobbing loudly. Why did this always happen to her? Why?

_The room grew cold and Hermione felt someone else's presence in the room._

"Why are you crying this time?" Richard's voice said, concerned and soft. He took her hands from her face and stared into her eyes with his. His eyes full of sorrow-or something like it. Hermione struggled to stop crying and wipe away her tears-she was tired of Richard seeing her like this.  
Richard squeezed her tear soaked hands with his cold ones. And he never took those mysterious Grey/silver eyes from her. " Was it him again? Did he do this to you"  
Hermione nodded and shook her head, more tears rolling down her face. Richard looked at her with sincerity and sorrow. His handsome face covered with concern--maybe even love.  
"You shouldn't be treated this way." Richard said softly, caressing her hands and never breaking eye contact. Hermione wanted to look away but something drew her eyes to his and she couldn't move them. Her tears in fact, blurred her vision of everything BUT his eyes. His cold, Grey, lifeless eyes His eyes weren't beautiful at the moment-they scared her like those in her dream. She felt like those eyes were watching her and that she defiantly not was in control of the situation and that her mind wasn't safe.  
"I--" Hermione tried to speak but couldn't finish her sentence. She was so full of different emotions right now that she couldn't speak. Richard took one of her hands in his and gently wiped away a tear-his cold hand touching her cheek with care. He never took his eyes from her. Hermione felt uncomfortable and was wondering what would happen.  
"A beautiful girl like you shouldn't be crying over someone who doesn't deserve her." Richard said softly. Hermione blushed. "I"m not beautiful at all. Far from it"  
"No." Richard said still, never removing his eyes from hers. " You are very beautiful. Inside you are a smart person who cares deeply and loves without holding back. A young woman with compassion and a love for all creatures. You can only tolerate so much though. You are brave and a great friend You love without holding back. You are full of beauty." he said rubbing her hands again." And you tolerate such a hideous loser like me." he said as an after-thought.  
"You're not hideous or a loser...you're..you're really amazing and interesting and cute...unlike me..I'm very ugly." Hermione said depressed, but her face grew warm. Richard's face grew even more sincere.  
"No..you are very beautiful on the outside too. You have the most big beautiful brown eyes that are full of LIFE. You have beautiful skin..perfect. You're hair"  
Hermione touched her bushy, unruly hair, unsure. Richard took Hermione's hands again and continued softly.  
"-- your hair is beautiful. Full of everything. Unique, cute even. Daring. Unchanging..in spite of everyone. You are perfect.." Richard ran his cold fingers through her hair-never taking his eyes from her. Hermione blushed furiously, a weird feeling in her stomach.

"You think so"

"I know so. You are perfect but you allow yourself to continue to be hurt by this boy. Do you care for him so much that you can't see? He's not worth your time. He's not worth you Miss Hermione." Richard said. Tears once again fell from Hermione's eyes. Richard brushed them away-never taking those soulless eyes away from her.  
"Who...who deserves me then?" Hermione asked softly, her mind was clouded at the moment, all she could see was him. He was all that mattered.

"I deserve you,. Miss Hermione."

**A/N: OMG. O.O...a cliff hanger. I know Richard ain't pushing up on Ron's woman...hahah. Anyway read and review..or else..you know the drill. **


	7. Kissing the mind

**A/N: Okay all my lovely little ponies...here is chapter seven. The end of that little cliffhanger...oh I would give all you reviewers shout outs but...I'm lazy. Ha. So anyway on with the story. ... Oh yeah If I'm not on you guy's favorites lists I'm going to beat the hell out of you all...just kidding. Note this chapter was done on notepad and that's why it looks like this.**

**Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter as much as I own my pretty loud green Ferrari parked outside in my driveway right now...wait...I don't have one...hmmm..oh well.**

_**Chapter 7**_

_Kissing and Mind games_

Ron stared at the dark ceiling of his dormitory. Harry was nearby breathing evenly, he was clearly asleep. Ron was worried about where Hermione was, she hadn't come back yet and he'd patrolled alone. He couldn't sleep. His thoughts were filled up with Hermione. He felt horrible about what had happened.  
He tried not to say the wrong things but never could stop himself. Contrary to popular belief he cared about Hermione's feelings. It hurt him to see her cry because of him but he didn't know how to apologize. Harry had come at him about the way he has been treating Hermione and their on-again off-again friendship. Harry had told Ron it was obvious that it was obvious that Ron had liked Hermione for more than a friend. It was true, Ron had recognized and accepted the fact that he cared a lot about Hermione and that he had feelings for her during his sixth year.

He had promised himself that he'd be nicer to her and would avoid arguments with her. That seemed downright impossible, he always said or did something to hurt her even though that was the last thing he wanted to do. He also figured that Hermione would never feel the same way about him as he did about her anyway. She'd probably want someone famous or rich and drop-dead gorgeous.  
Ron turned in his bed toward the window. He blinked hard, it seemed a hooded figure was staring at him through the window with cold Grey eyes. But then it was gone.

---

Meanwhile, Hermione was staring at Richard. She was flattered and extremely shocked. Her face was pretty hot as well. Did he just say that? What did he mean by that?  
"What -what do you mean?" Hermione said choking slightly on her own saliva.  
Richard never took his eyes from hers.  
Richard smiled, almost bashfully. He had really perfect teeth Hermione noticed. Richard never blinked she also noticed as he stared into her eyes, not speaking.  
Finally Richard spoke, his voice sounding like ice breaking. "I think you know what I mean" he said softly, placing a hand on her chin and tilting her face up. Now was the time when Hermione's heart began to beat rapidly.

"But--" Hermione said weakly.  
"Don't think about him Hermione. He hates you. I care." Richard said never taking his eyes from her. The way he said it, in her mind...it made it seem like it was all true. It had to be true. It was true wasn't it. Ron hated her so much that he didn't want her around. "Harry hates you too, he wants you gone so he can be the top of the graduating class." Richard said gently, stroking her hair with his other hand.  
Richard gently put his lips on hers-never taking his eyes from her eyes. Hermione flinched for his lips felt like ice. Richard pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her, placing one kiss after another on her lips. Hermione closed her eyes and unsurely embraced him-leaning into him but not kissing him back.  
"Don't be afraid." Richard muttered between a kiss.  
"I'm not." Hermione said kissing Richard back to prove it.

Hermione felt herself losing sense of her surroundings and opened her eyes, Richard's eyes were still on her. It frightened her a bit and it was a little odd. Most people closed their eyes when they kissed someone. All she could see was his cold-hypnotizing eyes in the otherwise dark room, and all she could feel was cold arms around her, and his icy lips. She gasped suddenly and pulled away from him. Richard blinked-finally.  
"I'm sorry. What's wrong?" he asked unsurely. Hermione avoided his eyes and stood up quickly.  
"I can't do this right now." she said, fleeing the room without looking back. She ran through the corridors with a fear that he'd chase her-he didn't.

She slowed down and breathed. Now she felt a little stupid. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath and put her fingers to her lips, on the spot where Richard's cold...unwelcome...lips had been.  
Why did she run away? Isn't that what she'd wanted? He was the only person other than Krum to actually take any liking to her. No one else fancied someone like her. Or so she thought. What should she do? Go back to him? It was time that she stopped waiting for Ron. She could stop thinking about him..she vowed herself. Was this what it was truly about?

----  
---

Hermione awakened the next morning with a dull headache. She felt as if someone had been _toying with her mind_ ,scratching it and twisting it around to how they wanted it.  
She went to breakfast with a heavy feeling in her heart and a growing sense of anguish, the memory of last night still in her mind. She saw Ron and Harry chatting happily and eating. She stopped before reaching them. They seemed so happy without her. Maybe Richard was right. Hermione sat at the fare end of the table away from every other Gryffindor.

_They don't even notice I'm here_. She thought bitterly about Ron and Harry. _Maybe they hate me. Ron never argues with Harry..._ Suddenly Ron looked her way-for a small second Hermione thought he would acknowledge her. He turned away as if he hadn't seen her. Hermione picked at her food. _He acted like I was invisible. Who needs them. I have Richard. Wait...what? _Hermione found herself thinking.

The day went by slowly. Hermione barely spoke to anyone or sat near anyone if possible. Harry noticed this and stopped her before they entered the great hall for dinner.  
"Hi Hermione." he said. "Are you okay"  
"Why?" she asked, irrational anger beginning to swell up inside of her. Harry placed a placatory hand on her shoulder.  
"Well-Hermione-I thought that you were upset about last night. I mean...Ron is"  
"Why is that little boy upset?" Hermione asked, slightly confused. She didn't remember anything happening between she and Ron.  
Harry restrained from rolling his eyes. "You DID throw a BOOK at his HEAD"  
Hermione now felt like Harry was accusing her of something. "Are you accusing me of something"  
Harry stared at her for a moment-calculating. Then he shook his head slightly. "You and Ron"  
"Don't say his name!" Hermione growled. Harry frowned "Fine, but you two really need to talk. I'm so tired of you two fighting"  
Hermione sighed. "Well"  
"It's obvious you two fancy each other." Harry said suddenly. Hermione's eyes widened.  
"That's not true..AT ALL"  
"How"  
"He doesn't. And I hate him just the same." with that Hermione stormed into the great hall, her place at the end of the table..all alone. She felt alone, she wished Richard was here.  
"Hiya Hermione. You okay? Harry wanted me to talk to you girlfriend." A voice said beside Hermione. It was Ginny.  
"I don't care Ginny." Hermione said in a monotone. "There is nothing to talk about. Leave me alone"  
Ginny was surprised but shrugged it off. "Fine by me. Feel better." with that Ginny went back to Harry and Ron.  
Hermione felt slightly bad for how she'd treated Ginny but suddenly a thought, that wasn't her own popped into her head.  
_Ginny hates me too. She's Ron's sister and Harry's ex-lover. She wants me to die_. Even though this thought was extremely twisted and untrue , Hermione found herself believing it. She was beginning to lose grip on reality in a manner. She was beginning to _lose grip_ on her life.

**A/N: Yeah I know what you're thinking...I have abilities...like Richard...mwahhah. Anyway review please and thank you.**


	8. Lies or Truth?

_**A/N: Well my pretties. Here it is! Chapter Eight. School has started up for me for about two weeks now so I'm telling you guys my updates won't be frequent. But I did manage to write another fiction as some of you may know. Thanks for all the love and all that jazz from you reviewers. I'll give you guys shout outs!..Well I would..If I wasn't lazy. I'll give shout outs one day I promise. Well here's the story. My formatting and what not will be loads better from here on out since I've gotten my 'perfect' computer back by the way. But I'm too lazy to go and fix up the past seven chapters...**_

_**Update: I had to repost this chapter because of an error with the reviews so could you all be sweeties and repost your reviews? PLLLEEEEEASE! Well that is all.**_

_**Chapter 8**_

_Richard's Story_

Hermione watched him. He was talking with half a grin on his face, his eyes were crinkled with laughter. People around him leaned in and listened. Ron was telling a joke. Hermione sighed and turned her eyes back to her breakfast at the far end of the table away from everyone else.

His laugh usually made her want to laugh, now she just wanted to scream or cry. It filled up her ears along with the others laughter. They liked his joke. He was so funny.

Hermione's eyes fell on Ron again, he was watching his friends and audience laugh at his joke. He was pleased that they thought it was funny. Harry punched Ron on the shoulder in mid-laugh. Ron grinned. Hermione wanted to be there too. Inside the circle with Ginny, and Harry..and _Ron. _But they didn't need her right? They didn't even like her..right? Didn't Richard say that? He wouldn't lie. Right?

Ron looked over at Hermione, the smile melted off his face. Her eyes connected with his for a split second then she forced herself to look away.

------------

Hermione was alone. She didn't talk to anyone now. She'd become a loner in a week. In class she didn't raise her hand and only spoke when addressed by a teacher.

One day in particular, Hermione Granger was making her solitary way to Professor Sprout's class. She'd waited until the corridor was almost empty before going- to avoid others. Her mind was blank as she rushed, clutching her bag.

If she'd been looking where she had been going she would have realized that she'd mindlessly veered of the path to professor Sprout's class down an abandoned corridor.

"There you are Miss Hermione. I haven't seen you in many moons." a soft, almost musical voice said. This voice belonged to Richard. He was leaning against a wall, his black floppy hair covering most of his face. Hermine froze, she'd been avoiding him. She didn't know what to say. What was more unnerving was that his strange silver eyes were staring at her unblinkingly, almost as if they were looking _through_ her or _reading_ her. She wanted to look away but she _couldn't_.

"Uh..um..yeah...I..haven't...seen you...either.."Hermione muttered. Richard stared at her.

"You have been avoiding me." he said. How did he know that? Could he read her mind or something? Maybe he could.

Hermione fumbled with the handle on her bag nervously. Her face grew warm with embarrassment.

"You're nervous. Don't be. It's okay." Richard said coming towards her. He placed a hand on her shoulder sending cold shivers down her spine.

"Uh..okay." Hermione said barely, she felt like her tongue was going to fall on the floor writhing if she talked any louder. She was slightly uncomfortable, not because of the kiss. But because she felt like he could.._control_ her sometimes. She knew she must be wrong. She was being highly irrational. He didn't know occulemency..right?

"Come. Let me walk you to your class. You're already five minutes late." Richard said taking her hands into his frigid ones and leading her.

Hermione's eyes traveled over Richard's profile as they walked in a thin silence. He was so pale, he aways seemed to have a smile-like grimace on his face. He rarely blinked. His floppy black hair was currently hiding his face from her, without thinking she reached out toward his hair. Almost instantly he turned around toward her. She recoiled slightly.

"Do you enjoy Professor Sprout's class?" he asked softly putting both hands on her shoulders. She shivered.

"Um..." Hermione said, her eyes trained on the floor, she was afraid to look into those strange silver eyes again. "Yes..."

"I see. You are very...tenacious..determined. Your resolve is admirable." Richard said softly. He put his mouth near her ear, Hermione's pulse quickened. What was he about to do?

His breath was cold on her ear and neck, making her hair stand on end and her flinch. "I hope so."

He hoped so? What did he mean?

"Uh..Sure." Hermione nodded slowly.

"You don't want to be late Miss Hermione." Richard said.

Hermione blinked. They had been standing at Sprout's door for a moment, but Hermione hadn't realized. Her mind had only been focused on him. It reminded her of her moment of weakness from the night before. The moment she'd kissed him.

"I. Don't. Want. To. Be. Late." Hermione repeated robotically.

"You already are Granger." Professor Sprout said. Hermione just realized her door was open at the Greenhouse where the class took place. Ron and Harry were watching with frowns ranging from Confused (Harry) to angry (Ron).

Hermione wouldn't think on it for years but one might wonder why Professor Sprout didn't once acknowledge Richard's presence-nor did any of the students other than Ron or Harry.

Professor Sprout marked Hermione as tardy then as soon as she sat down in the last available spot-beside Ron- Sprout asked her why she was late.

"I...um...forgot something." Hermione lied, staring down at the bumps and bruises on her desk.

"You lie. You were off shagging with Richard." Ron hissed venomously in her ear. Hermione moved her ear from near his mouth and pulled her folder from her bag. Harry raised a concerned eyebrow, she looked at her scratched and bitten nails. When had she started biting her nails? She hated that. She hadn't been herself in a while.

"Okay class we are going to..." Professor Sprout began but Hermione's mind couldn't stay on it. She felt distracted. Her mind was tired. The smells of the plants and Professor Sprout's London Hilton Perfume, along with everyone else's scents, merged. Hermione's senses dimmed and her eyes had a glazed over glassy look.

She was walking down a dark cobbled street. Her heels made a dull clacking noise with each step. In a strange neighborhood she was. Most of the houses were old, large, abandoned. There was a boy standing in the middle of the road, crying. Hermione reached out to him, she wanted to help.

The scene changed. Now she was at Hogwarts on the north tower. There was blood seeping towards her, a Piano was playing in the background-banging loud earsplitting notes. The notes of a madman.

"Miss Hermione."

"Hermione." a voice said sharply, Hermione blinked and her eyes met directly with Ron's. "You slept thorough the entire class. Harry forced me to come back and get you. Everyone else is gone and Sprout is on her alcohol break." he said. He moved from one foot to the other, shifting his weight with irritation and it was clear he was slightly uncomfortable.

She'd slept through the entire class! What had she missed? What was those images in her mind. They didn't seem to belong to her. Something was wrong. Hermione stuffed her books in her bag.

"You don't have to say thank you." Ron said waiting on her to put away her books.

Hermione said nothing. She picked up her inkwell.

"I guess you think you're too good to associate with your _real_ friends anymore." Ron burst out.

Hermione dropped her inkwell, ink flashed everywhere. Hermione glared at him, she wanted to curse him into little bits but she didn't.

Ron looked ashamed of himself, Hermione didn't know what else to do so she walked out of the room, leaving him there. She didn't need anyone right? Richard was right. Right? She wasn't sure where she'd gotten the insane notion that everyone hated her but..she _was_ alone.

--

That night Hermione patrolled alone. Ron was at Quidditch practice though he probably wouldn't have patrolled with her anyway.

Her mind was so tired. It seemed over worked, it was blank but full of everything. She reluctantly made her way to her final destination. The north tower.

That familiar feeling of foreboding and cold came back to her and it wasn't just because of the Autumn air. She stopped short. There he was again. Richard. He was looking up at the night sky, his back was turned to her. She didn't know whether to approach or just leave.

"Miss Hermione. There you are. Come here." Richard said softly. He turned toward her, his silver eyes boring into her like a laser. Hermione obeyed. She tentatively walked toward him and leaned against the rails of the tower.

"Hello." Hermione said closing her cloak tightly to her body. She was so cold, why was it always cold when he was around?

"Can I ask you something?"

"Um..you kinda just did." Hermione said trying to break the icy silence with a joke.

"Funny." Richard said without a hint of laughter. He watched her, Hermione's eyes remained turned toward the practicing Gryffindor team, they were just little specks from where she was. "Will you stay up here with me?" he said suddenly.

What? Hermione turned toward him without thinking. Her eyes connected with his and she could feel herself losing grip again.

"Stay up here with you? What do you mean?" Hermione said barely audible. Did he mean..forever? She strongly felt that's what he meant. Like..live with him or something. "I can't." she said.

He sighed. His sigh was hollow and cold. Hermione shivered and tore her eyes from his, her head began to throb painfully.

"I see." he said, he too looked off at the practicing Quidditch team, he frowned slightly though Hermione didn't notice.

"Um..tell me about you. Your story." Hermione said after a tense moment. She really did want to know what he was about. What made him like he is. "I mean..everyone has a story right?"

"Everyone's story has it's ending." he said softly. Hermione looked at him from the corner of her eye, he was frowning thoughtfully at looking up at the sky.

"Can I hear yours?" Hermione said, against her better judgment she placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn't make any obvious sign of acknowledgment to her hand but he did begin.

"I can't really remember everything." he said, his voice didn't change at all, stoic one would say. " I remember my parents, I had a sister..." he said without emotion. "My parents died, my sister killed them, she was...posessed-" he was continuing when Hermione made a sound of sympathy. He looked blankly at her, his eyes seemed distant. Blank, there was no sign of life behind them.

"I'm so..sorry." Hermione said earnestly. Richard shook his head and laughed, it was that icy laugh of his, that wasn't really a laugh. He turned his eyes from her and back to the sky.

"Let me finish." he said, it was a command more than a request. " She was possessed, they died when I was...I don't remember how old I was. There was blood everywhere. I blame them for her ...issues. She killed herself too. It happened right in front of me. Ah well. " he shrugged airily.

Ah well? That's all he had to say? Hermione took her hand from his shoulder.

"I went to Hogwarts...that's all. That's all I can remember." he said stopping abruptly.

From the way he said it..it seemed that his story had ended here. As if he wasn't a part of this world ..and hadn't been for a long time. Was this true? It couldn't be. He was solid, she could touch him, ...kiss him.

"Are you..alive? Are you dead?" she asked quietly. He looked at her and blinked slowly.

" Yes." he said simply. Not really answering her question, she didn't know whether he was saying yes to being alive or dead.

"People didn't like me much..I remember her..her name is faded though..." he said almost to himself. Hermione wondered what he was talking about. Who was this person he was referring to? His girlfriend? Why hadn't people liked him?

"Why-" Hermione opened her mouth to say but didn't finish.

"People didn't like me because...I was like you. Brillant and...half-breed...my father was a werewolf and a muggle. My mother was a muggle born. " he said putting his head down. His hair hung loosely in his face.

Hermione's eyes stung with slight tears. Poor Richard. She felt pity for him. She wanted to make it better, somehow. There was one way..

Hermione, without hesitation, moved his hair from his face, even his hair was cold, and tucked it behind his ears. He looked up at her.

"I like you though." she said sincerely. She wasn't just saying that. He seemed...to be a nice person. Just..misunderstood. Or so she thought. She just hoped he didn't think 'like' in the sense that she was sure he liked her. Hermione pressed her lips against his icy cheek and smiled. He watched her. She left the tower quickly, she didn't want a repeat of last night.

Hermione wasn't really paying attention to her path as she walked in thought back to the Gryffindor tower. She felt horrible. Poor Richard she said to herself. Poor him. Poor _her._

_**A/N: Yeah yeah yeah. I know what ya thinking. I have abilities like Richard! Lol. So anyway please read and review or else. You know the drill.. Mwahhahaahahah.**_

_**Anyway so..what do you guys think? About Richard? Hermione? Ron? Chicken? Hmmm... . Leave reviews, I'm hard at work on chapter nine. I'm out for labor days so I should have more time. Review or else. Oh and don't worry...you will all get your Ron/Hermione-ness. I promise.**_


	9. Requiem

**A/N: Well my lovelies here is chapter nine. OMG I'm always at the halfway point! Yay! Be expecting about twenty chapters my loves. School is pretty...eventful this year. Hhaha. So yeah It only took me about two or three days to write this chapter, I like it I hope you all do too! Read, review, repeat you know the deal. **

_**Chapter 9**_

_Requiem_

Hermione wasn't planning on ever getting in trouble, in fact even getting a scolding would usually make her burst into tears.

She'd gotten up that morning with a blank state of mind, she was surprised that she hadn't been haunted by nightmarish images in the past week. She was quite certain she was losing her mind quickly. She could hear the faint whispering of a voice whenever she was relaxed. When she was alone, especially when she was outside. She would grow cold and feel a rush of emotions: anger, pain, sorrow, confusion...she felt these feelings didn't belong to her but to _someone else_.

Sometimes even, she would see things that weren't there. It was as if it was _someone else's_ visions instead of hers.

At the moment, however, Hermione was making her solitary way to Professor Mcgonagal's evening class alone. Alone..a word that had become part of her life in the past months.

Usually this was her favorite time of year, Autumn, the leaves were gold, red, and other beautiful colors, the wind made sounds of whispers ruffling the leaves, it usually made her happy. She used to enjoy the mystique of it all. But now. Now she was stressed out, alone, and hating everything irrationally. This hate wasn't hers, why was she feeling it then?

"Hello Miss Hermione, you don't seem well." A voice said suddenly behind her, whispering in her ear causing her blood to run cold. It once again was Richard.

"Oh..um hello Richard." Hermione said turning toward him and clutching her bag., she only had about two minutes before she would be considered late, but at the moment her mind was void. "How are you?" she muttered.

Richard stared at her, then he brushed a loose strand of black hair from his face. "Miss Hermione, you don't seem well of spirit...let me calm you. Come." he said taking her hand before she could react. He led her down multiple corridors until she didn't know where she was, she could be certain they were far from the main halls of the school.

"Where are we?" Hermione said to Richard's back but he didn't respond.

Hermione tried to wriggle her hand away from his cold grip but she couldn't. She allowed him to lead her.

Richard led her down a winding staircase and finally into an old room.

Hermione let out a small gasp of awe.

They were standing in the middle of a band hall or concert hall it would seem. Harps, guitars, trumpets, trombones, drums, symbols, violins, and other instruments filled the room along with chairs, all situated in a great half circle. I twas evident this room hadn't been used in years. Cobwebs and dust covered everything.

"Oh..my Richard. I never knew of this room. I read _Hogwarts: a history_ and it never once mentioned Hogwarts having a concert hall.." Hermione said as she pulled off her bag and rubbed dust off a flute.

"I see you are pleased, this impresses you does it not miss Hermione. I'm pleased that you are pleased." Richard replied walking over to a large beautiful silver harp with an intricate design.

He sat down on a stool and situated himself at it.

_'Why haven't I heard of this music room?'_ Hermione wondered stopping at a violin and admiring it's cherry wood finish.

"You haven't heard of this room because it's nestled deep in the catacombs of this establishment's dark past. Something quite ...unfortunate." Richard said placing his fingers on the strings of the harp.

"Oh? What happened?" Hermione asked as she brushed dust off a cello and she saw her reflection in it's wooden finish. She was pale as a ghost.

"Miss Hermione. Come. Listen." Richard replied, not answering her question, he was watching her from his place at his harp, Hermione obeyed.

She made it over to Richard and he bid her to sit.

"Where?" Hermione muttered to herself, she took a seat behind a golden harp, it had the same designs as Richards, she watched him silently. She ran her hands over an engraved name in this harp she was sitting behind. Apparently a girl named Abigail Rose owned this instrument. She wondered..

"What are you doing?" Richard's voice broke into her thoughts abruptly. He had been watching her as she was running her hands over this 'Abigail Rose' name.

"Oh..sorry. I'm listening." Hermione said placing her hands in her lap and looking at Richard with a positive smile. He smiled back but the smile was cold and didn't reach his eyes.

He turned his attention back to his beautiful silver harp. He began to play.

His music was beautiful but seemed so mournful and cold at the same time. His face was blank as he played, his fingers moved gracefully with familiarity over the harp strings.

The soft harp music filled the room, Hermione closed her eyes slightly.

"What is this piece called?" she mumbled.

"Requiem."

Suddenly it was as if she was watching an old film. People, other students, were at the other instruments playing silently, their music blending with Richard's, some students were laughing with friends. There was a woman in front leading the class apparently the teacher. There was a beautiful tall brunette girl with long cascading hair almost at her knees entering the room. She was graceful and looked almost completely like Hermione except she had deep lavender eyes that seemed to be faraway all the time. The girl looked over at Richard, her looked up at her and smiled brightly, it was a genuine smile.

The girl came to Hermione and payed no attention to her, she in fact sat.._through_ Hermione. Hermione scrambled up and stood near the harp instead.

The girl sat down and stretched her fingers, she began to play in tune with the the others with extreme grace and beauty, her head inclined causing her beautiful brown hair to fall around her face.

Suddenly the scene faded like a film going out and the others stopped playing and disappeared, it was only Hermione , Richard, and his mournful tune.

He stopped in mid note

"Don't ever do that again."He said standing up suddenly and tucking his black floppy hair behind his head. He went over to her bag and handed it to her, she took it though slightly confused.

"Don't ever do..what?" she asked blinking.

"Don't ever go into my memories." He said icily, he took her wrist tightly and led her out of the room and back down the path they'd taken to get to that mysterious room.

"Who is she? Who is Abigail Rose?" she asked as he pulled her along.

"Don't say her name." he said with a sudden hint of anger, or something close to anger. He said no more.

"Why?" Hermione asked, he didn't respond.

He stopped directly in front of Professor Mcgongal's classroom door.

"I will see you later Miss Hermione." he said, and then with that he was gone.

Hermione blinked and tried to figure out what had just happened. She shook it off and decided to do some of her own research later whether he wanted her to or not.

Hermione checked her watch. "Damn, it's ...I've only got five minutes left of class." she muttered bitterly.

She braced herself and pushed open the door.

--------------------------------------

Her room was at the moment feeling worse than a torture chamber. Hermione kept her eyes cast down and her hands innocently in her lap.

Magonagal tapped a quill on the desk and peered at Hermione over her glasses like a vulture.

"Miss Granger., there have been reports, you are becoming habitually late. I will not let this go unpunished."

"But Professor!" Hermione clutched the desk. "I didn't-"

"Mr. Weasely informed me exactly where you have been. This _Richard_ person. You'd better put your priorities in order ands get on your head back on straight Miss Granger. This is your senior year-"

"Yes but-"

"Enough Hermione." Magonagal said in that tone that dared you to question the words spoken.

"Yes Ma'am." Hermione whimpered.

"This time all you will get is 50 points taken from Gryffindor and ..a detention."

What! A detention! Not her! She wasn't the kind of person who got those! That was for people like Ron and Harry!

Magonagal informed her that her detention was tonight and told her to leave.

Hermione left in shame and walked down the slightly crowded corridors in silence. No one noticed her. Except Luna Lovegood.

"Why hello Hermione Granger!" Luna's voice said suddenly in her ear, Luna Lovegood put a friendly hand on her shoulder.

"Go away you stupid moronic idiotic girl." Hermione all but growled rudely.

"You don't have to be a meanie haha." Luna chirped and ruffled Hermione's hair playfully.

"GO AWAY GOT DAMN IT YOU _BITCH_!" Hermione screamed rounding on Luna, her eyes wide ands hateful, her voice scared her, it didn't seem like her own.

"What the?" people said turning around and staring.

"Did Hermione Granger just say that?" another person muttered.

"Hermione?" Harry said, he was standing beside a shocked Ron and Ginny.

"Granger's getting naughty." a Slytherin said from behind her. It sounded a lot like Draco Malfoy.

Hermione looked down at her hand, it was pointed at the hurt blond girl's heart.

Hermione dropped her wand and fled the corridor shoving the laughing Slytherin out of the way, she was sure he hit the ground, she didn't stop until she made it to her dormitory. She flung herself on her bed and lay there trying to calm herself. She couldn't even bring herself to cry. What was wrong with her? Why had she done that?

Hermione didn't know what was wrong for her but she did know she had a detention tonight because of her previous actions.

**A/N: so what did you guys think? Did you like this chapter? I hope so, I had a good time writing it . Some music called Seymour's theme and Zanarkand (if you have played Final Fantasy X you know what I'm talking about) inspired some of this chapter. So anyway my lovely reviewers and readers please read and leave reviews. I should be updating again...in about a week or two. Maybe you will find out more about Abigail Rose and Richard. R and R my lovelies! Or else..grr.**


	10. Abigail's Warning

**A/N: Hello my babies. Yes I know it's been a while but with school, clubs, and getting ready for my future (yay!!) it's been pretty busy. But I'm sure you guys have been busy too. I don't really like this chapter much but...anyway I hope you all like it. I can't wait to write the -spoiler- scene. It's going to be SO COOL! Well anyway here is chapter 10. Yes the halfway point. Oh by the way the way this chapter continues directly from Chapter 9. Remember to review. **

_**Chapter 10**_

_Abigail's Warning_

Hermione wanted to get this over with quickly, she resented having a detention in the first place so she avoided going to dinner and headed straight for the trophy room. Her detention? She had to polish every trophy in that room..and there were over 5,0000 of them. She couldn't use magic.

She stood in the center of the room, it's many trophies standing proud in their cases.

"I deserved this for some reason..." the seventh year muttered while sliding on yellow gloves. "Well here goes. " She sighed and pulled out wax and a towel.

She first mapped out a plane, to wax the larger ones then the smaller ones. She started on her first one, first reading the name, some boy from two years ago had won a 'Star Student' award. At first Hermione took greatest interest in reading each name and the honor they were bestowed. But after a while it all became a blur.

But then something stopped her quick cleaning. It was one of her last trophies, one of the older ones. Silver and ancient, with a musical symbol engraved into a chalice with wings

Richard Blackheart

_1907_

**Outstanding Achievement in Music**

"Richard..._Blackheart...could this be..him?" _Hermione muttered examining the trophy thoroughly.

This couldn't be the Richard she thought she knew. This person was around more than one hundred years ago. He would be amazingly old or dead. Hermione knew that witches and wizards had a longer lifespan that muggles but none could stay young forever. This couldn't be the same Richard...but then again. Anything was possible. Especially with this boy.

He'd never said he was alive. Nor dead.

"Miss Hermione. We meet again." a voice said directly behind her. Her hair stood on end as the room grew cold and she shivered violently.

"Oh...ha. Hello Richard." Hermione said. "I was just looking at _your_ trophy. " She indicated the trophy while watching closely for his reaction.

Richard didn't even look at the trophy and his face stayed blank.

"I came to apologize for getting you in the most awful trouble, I beg your forgiveness." he said softly hanging his head causing his hair to fall gently around his face.

Hermione resisted the urge to brush his hair from his face and hug him and tell him that it was okay and that it wasn't his fault.

"I forgive you Richard...Blackheart." Hermione said forcing a bright smile on her face and looking up at him.

Richard looked up at her blankly. "Are you done here Miss Hermione?" he said not even flinching at the mention of a possible last name for him.

"Oh..yes I am Richard. Um..care to walk me back to my house?" Hermione asked sweetly. It occurred to her that she still knew not what house he was in.

"Come Miss Hermione." Richard said taking one of her wrists and leading her from the trophy room. His fingers bit through her skin like ice but she didn't make any noises of pain.

They walked in a frigid silence.

"What house are you in?" Hermione asked suddenly when they reached the portrait hole. The fat lady was fast asleep, a bit of drool coming from her mouth.

"Don't turn to others for answers." he muttered and let go of her wrist. He began to leave her side.

"Why-" Hermione began, she wanted to know why he would never tell her anything. But he cut her off abruptly.

"It doesn't matter." he said icily, staring directly into her eyes for an intense moment before leaving down the hall.

Hermione would never truly know the answers.

"Password dear? I mean I don't have all night while you're up in the wee hours frolicking with your little boyfriend." The fat lady said curtly breaking into Hermione's thoughts.

Hermione flushed. "_Manifest Destiny_" she muttered the password while staring at the wrist Richard had been gripping slightly roughly.

"Proceed." The fat lady said swinging open the portrait hole.

-

Hermione entered the common room to find it almost completely dark. There was only one other person present: Ron Weasely.

He was sitting in one of the armchairs by the dim fireplace half asleep.

Hermione tried to make her way as silently as possible up the girl's staircase.

_Creak_

"Darn it." Hermione muttered-she took another step.

_Creak_

"Oh, I've been waiting for you." Ron's groggy voice said.

Hermione continued up the stairs.

"Oy Hermione, I have gotten something for you." Ron said.

What could _he_ possibly have for _her_?

Ron was suddenly at the bottom of the stairs and his is hand was her wand.

Hermione hadn't even realized she had dropped it. She came slightly down the stairs and took it silently from his hands, being sure not to touch his skin as she did it.

She turned her back stiffly to him and begin to retreat up the stairs.

"You could at least say thank you." Ron said pointedly.

Hermione stopped in her tracks. She wanted so badly to respond to him, she craved contact with her 'old' friends. She hadn't hardly spoken in weeks, she doubted if she still could. But still..she said nothing.

"Hermione what is wrong with you? You walk around like you hate us or something. I mean...look at how you treated poor Loony Lovegood." Ron said quietly.

A lump formed in her throat but she didn't speak.

Ron sighed discouragingly. "Hermione...Harry and me and Ginny...we are worried about you." he continued barely audible.

Hermione's eyes filled with tears. She blinked them back.

"Is this about Richard? He's turning you away from us I know it. And you can say what you want...it's not just that I don't like him. Can't you tell us what it is? Hermione?" Ron said, there was a pleading tone in his voice. "I..." he trailed off and sighed.

A strangled sob escaped Hermione's lips.

"Hermione?" Ron said tensely.

Suddenly Hermione was so overwhelmed that emotion that her knees buckled, she felt like she was about to pass out. Her head began to ache painfully but she managed to remain standing and with her back still turned to Ron.

"Hermione at least...look at me?" Ron said in such a way that Hermione couldn't say 'No.'

She turned around slowly and looked down at him from her place on the stairs.

Inevitably their eyes met, his green eyes...

His eyes searched her face as if they were looking for something.

She hadn't seem his eyes in what felt like eternity that it seemed like the first time.

Suddenly Ron gave her a small smile.

Hermione's head began to throb painfully and emotions filled her again. Against her better judgment she ran down the steps and practically flung herself on Ron in a desperate, almost clingy hug. She broke down into uncontrollable sobs and clung to him.

Ron hid his utmost shock. He patted her on the back silently and held her.

Hermione buried her face in his chest and her tears flowed freely. She wanted to be...free.

Then suddenly a rage rose in her, one that wasn't her own, these weren't her feelings. She pushed Ron away from her, she screamed something at him angrily with savage hate in a voice that wasn't her own and stormed up the girls' staircase.

Ron wasn't sure what all that was about..but he was sure it had something to do with Richard.

---------------

Hermione slammed the dormitory door closed and leaned against it. She was sweating and shaking, she breathed in and out rapidly trying to make sense of her emotions.

What had happened? Was she losing her mind?

She couldn't believe she'd broken down like that. In front of HIM.

"You alright? Gosh coming in here slamming doors. I'm trying to sleep." one of her roommates muttered with annoyance.

Hermione didn't respond to this person. She simply went to bed fully dressed.

_There was a girl. At first it seemed to be Hermione but upon closer inspection this girl had long brown hair and eyes that had long since lost their brightness. She was standing in an unidentifiable area, Inky blackness around her. _

_She looked up at Hermione with a sad smile._

"_You are in danger child." the girl said, though her lips remained still._

" _Aren't you Abigail Rose?" Hermione said._

"_He is dangerous. Don't let it happen to you too..." _

_Suddenly there was a sound emitting from the darkness..it sounded like the roar of a wild animal. _

"_I must go. I do not belong here. Farewell. Remember my warning."_

_The girl disappeared._

Hermione woke up to find herself drenched in sweat and breathing rapidly. It was a while before she found the comfort to find sleep again.

**A/N: well...hmm wonder what Abigail was talking about. Anyway I know this isn't a great chapter but don't worry, the others will be :). So anyway my lovely children please review and tell me what's up. I should be updating again during Thanksgiving break.**


	11. Love and Hate

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Here it is non the less. I enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope you all enjoy reading it. I love each and every one of you juicy people,you're all just so delicious.**

**Disclaimer: I do own Harry Potter and all related characters, okra, drugs, and toilet covers. Not really but you get my point.**

**Chapter 11**

_Love and Hate_

The sky was dark but had that beautiful glint in it that indicated dawn on this particularly chilly late Autumn morning. The sound of the birds' rising song could be heard as they perched on the castle windows. On a morning like this most people were asleep snuggled deep into their sheets and hugging their pillows in comforted warmth. For no one wanted to rise and feel their feet touch the cold floors of the poorly ventilated castle. There was only one person stirring at such an hour.

Down in a damp dusty dark room deep below the school was a girl. She was surrounded by rows and rows of metal drawers. Being down here gave her a strange rush that she rarely felt because she was such the 'goody two shoes'. She held up her lantern to them until she found what she was looking for.

"_B. _Yes finally." Hermione muttered, she pulled out her wand in one smooth motion. "**_oscailte_**" she hissed, her wand pointed at the lock on the drawer. A silverish light shot from it and to her surprise the drawer unlocked. "Too easy..." she shook her head. Perhaps, she thought, they never figured that anyone would want to break into the student history files.

"Hmmm..Richard Blackheart 1901..." she muttered biting the bottom of her lip in concentration and she thumbed through multiple files, starting from the current year.

Hermione jumped back as the open draw extended across the length of the room and a file flew into her hands.

"Clever..." she muttered and examined the thick file. It was tattered and old and covered in a thin film of dust. The name was barely visible on the tab but she could just make out the curly hand writing of a headmaster of yore who'd written this. "Well.." she cleared her throat. "Abigail Rose." she said aloud. Sure enough a file from another part of the room shot into her hands, it just about the same condition of the other.

Hermione found a nicely hidden corner at the far end of the room near a dusty window that barely shown any light. She sat on her school bag and opened the Richard file first, spreading out the almost faded and crumbly paper around her to make the process easier.

"Okay..." she muttered holding her lantern over the first page.

_**Name: Richard S. Blackheart**_

_**Age: 17**_

_**Graduation year: 1907**_

_**House: Slytherin**_

"Are you serious?!" Hermione muttered shaking her head. "I would have thought he was...a Gryffindor..." but then again. She continued her research. "He's amazingly good at _occulemency_..."

"So he had a 12 year old sister...he hardly ever got in any trouble...surprising for a Slytheri- oh what's this?" Hermione stopped and pulled out a thick stack of papers bound by a rusty paper clip. She wondered why this wasn't with the rest of the files on Richard. She began to skim the pages and stopped at one in particular.

_**September 1, 1907**_

**_The senior student Richard Blackheart has become a problem here. Another student, Abigail Rose has reported constant harassment from this young man. He has already been taken from the musical department as punishment and for the comfort of Ms. Rose. His _Health _problem has become an issue and might be in direct connection with the murder of his sister Lyndsay and Mr. And Mrs. Blackheart. _**

"Murder...are they saying that he...oh my gosh" Hermione stared in disbelief at the page before her.

**Richard is a werewolf.**

The page went on to say how the administrators were trying to get him removed completely from the school for the safety of the other students but his foster parents refused let him come home.

"A werewolf...so..that means...he might have...killed them...and didn't know it." Hermione rubbed her eyes for they were quite tired. She assumed he must have been bitten some time over the summer of his 7th year. She continued.

_**October. 12, 1907**_

_**Richard is a very bright student, fast learner, top of his class, and great musician but he in dangerous. It is highly necessary for the well being of the other students that he is removed.**_

_**October 15, 1907**_

_**It has become apparent that this student might cease to be a threat. It is heard that Ms. Rose knows of his ailment and created a potion for him to stop him from becoming the beast on full moons.**_

_**December 16, 1907**_

**T_he student in question has become distant from other students, more than he already was. The only person he will talk to is Ms. Abigail Rose, it would seem they have become close friends. Ms. Rose at times though doesn't seem to be 'there' completely. We shall look into this_.**

_**December 30, 1907**_

_**Richard has disappeared. Could be in direct connection with Ms. Rose's death.**_

"Oh...my ...gosh..." Hermione breathed. Was all of this true? How had Abigail died? Had Richard done it and then maybe..killed himself? What did he want with _her_ then? Hermione put down the files and put her head in her knees and rocked back and forth for a moment. The walls seemed to be spinning and she felt sick.

Five minutes later Hermione put his files away and opened Abigail's.

_**Name: Abigail Y. Rose**_

_**Age: 16**_

_**Graduation year: 1907**_

_**House: Gryffindor**_

"Odd that a Slytherin and Gryffindor would be friends..." she muttered and searched for what she was looking for...

Bingo. She'd found it.

_**The student Abigail Rose of Gryffindor has been complaining of constant harassment from the Slytherin boy, Richard Blackheart...**_

"Yeah blah blah blah." Hermione muttered thumbing through the pages slowly. "Here it is.."

_**December 30, 1907**_

_**A most scandalous and grievous thing has happened here at Hogwarts School. The loved student, Abigail Rose has been found dead in the forbidden forest. Her remains were mangled- and bloody, barely identifiable. It is noted that she had multiple wounds from that of a Werewolf. The werewolf in question we are sure was Richard Blackheart, he hasn't been seen since the incident. It could be that he has died, the werewolf left a long blood trail doing deep into the forest. Blood and skin matter under Abigail's nails suggests that she might have mortally wounded him with her nails and a fingernail file she was carrying in her purse. She fought for her life.**_

"This is...insane...this can't be the Richard I know. I mean...he's alive right? He's not a werewolf...I'm losing my mind." Hermione muttered putting all the files away.

"_He is Dangerous don't let it happen to you too."_

Hermione checked her watch. "oh no!" Hermione cried. She was 50 minutes late for a 70 minute class. "I never have a good day..." she growled throwing her bag over her shoulder and scrambling out of the room.

------------

Hermione slipped into Professor Magonagal's class apparently unnoticed by the woman. She sat quietly in the desk at the far back near a window that over looked the grounds and the forbidden forest.

Hermione quickly pulled out some parchment, her textbook and her quill. She had no idea what Professor Magonagal was talking about but she wrote it down anyway.

She suddenly felt eyes on her.

She looked up to see Ron's face turned in his seat watching her, she looked back at her work.

The bell rang before she knew it and the students automatically stood and began putting up their books and chattering with their friends. Unknown to her, Harry and Ron glanced back at her before leaving with two other Gryffindor boys.

She stood and began leaving the room as well.

"Miss Granger. You stay." Professor Magonagal's curt voice rained over her. Hermione swallowed and stopped in her tracks. Why did this keep happening?

"Yes Ma'am?" Hermione squeaked turning around.

"Sit." Magonagal said in a tone that dripped with disappointment. Hermione obeyed and sat in the oak chair in front of Magonagal's desk. "Don't speak. This won't take too long. You should know that currently you are out of the running for valedictorian-Mr. Potter is ahead of you- your marks are below what's normal for you, you're behind in your work and we have contacted your parents. I don't know what is wrong with you Miss Granger but you'd better find out before you end up graduating with Mr. Weasely's sister."

Hermione nodded over and over again and blinked back tears.

"I'll try."

"Goodbye Miss Hermione." Magonagal said.

Hermione fled the room.

----------------

The fall air was cool against her skin. She sat among the gold, red, green, yellow, and brown leaves near the lake silently. The sun was beginning to set around her, shadows of trees, Hogwarts, and other objects looming creating little shapes that would make a child paranoid.

Hermione sighed heavily and lay on her back in the bed of leaves, they made a crunching noise as her weight crushed them. The sky was a faded blue color and she could see the image of the crescent moon as it began it's entrance while the sun exited. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her, the lake's music washing over her.

The air became chilled.

"Miss Hermione."

Hermione jumped violently and sat up, her hand already on her wand. It was Richard. Her clutch on the wand tightened.

"You don't seem well." Richard said sitting down beside her. Hermione watched him from the corner of her eye suspiciously.

"I'm fine." she muttered, not releasing the clutch on her wand.

Richard noticed this. A small almost invisible grin curled on his lips. He put his hands on hers and she flinched. Not because they were cold, but because she didn't want him touching her.

"You seem tense dear. I don't like when you're unhappy." he murmured in her ear, gently sliding her wand from her hands and putting it in her school bag.

Hermione's breath caught in her chest. " It's beautiful out isn't it? I love when the sun sets." she said to change the tense air.

"Yes, quite. I'm not too fond of the daylight. Nor the night for that matter. It's quite unpleasant."

_'Yeah like when there's a full moon...'_ the thought popped into Hermione's head before she could stop it.

She stared at the lake. She could feel Richard's silver eyes boring into her face, they stayed there for about five minutes before he looked away.

Hermione looked at him out of the corner of her eye. He was now staring at the lake unblinkingly. His silver eyes reflecting the calmness of the lake. His black hair was covering his face almost completely, swaying gently in the calm wind.

Hermione sighed and looked at her hands, they were shaking.

Time passed. It grew darker.

Hermione looked over at Richard again, he was looking up at the sky. He looked down at her abruptly when he felt her eyes on him.

"Um...it's night now." Hermione said. It was painfully obvious that it was dark, she mentally slapped herself for such a comment.

Richard laughed softly. Or at least what sounded like a laugh, it was almost ice like and fragile. A sound effect that hadn't been used in centuries it would seem. It occurred to Hermione that Richard always seemed...passive. A decay of emotion.

"Yes it is quite dark." he commented looking over at her, his hair fell gently at his shoulders. Hermione wanted to look away badly but couldn't.

"What is it? I'm quite uncomfortable about staring..." she said with a false laugh.

"Your eyes, they burn with resolve. Beautiful." Richard said softly, his comment was almost washed away in the gentle fall evening breeze.

Hermione looked away as her face grew slightly warm and she smiled in spite of herself.

Richard's cold hand touched the other side of her face and turned it back toward him.

"It is true, why are you embarrassed?" Richard said looking directly into her brown eyes with his ice-like silver ones.

"Um...no one has ever said that to me before." she stumbled over her words slightly. Everything she'd learned, or thought she'd learned, was nothing to her right now. Her mind wasn't hers. Again.

"Well...I'm different." Richard said.

"What do you mean?"

"Because..."

Hermione perked up and moved closer, maybe he was going to tell her the truth.

"I love you."

Hermione didn't know what to say. That's not what she'd been expecting. He loved her?

"It's okay Miss Hermione. You don't have to answer. I understand, take as much time as you need. There's no rush." Richard said sincerely, he let go of her face.

"I'm going to go back inside." Hermione muttered grabbing her bags and walking quickly back to Hogwarts.

--------------

Hermione somehow made her way back to the common room, it was still early because students were milling around. As soon as she entered her eyes automatically scanned the room for red hair. She didn't see Ron, only Ginny, but someone beside Ginny had seen her. It was Harry, he was looking over at her with a slight frown.

_'What the hell does that thing want'_ a harsh voice, that strangely belonged to her, thought in her head.

Harry approached her with a impassive expression on his face.

Suddenly a raw hate directed at Harry grew inside of Hermione. Which was weird giving that she didn't hate the boy.

"Hey Hermione. How are you?"

"Fine." Hermione said folding her eyes and glaring at Harry.

"You sure? I mean because we're worried about you." Harry said pushing his glasses up and giving her a small smile.

Hermione frowned. "I don't need you to be worried about me."

Harry gave her a look. "You sure?"

"Look you four-eyed bastard. Just because you act like you need friends because your dumb parents up and got themselves killed by Voldemort doesn't mean you have to come around shoving your dumb ass in my face. Just because you have that stupid scar to make you feel important doesn't mean you'll win you got that boy? Don't talk to me again!" she said in a deathly low tone and shoved him out of her way. She walked coolly up the staircase.

It wasn't until she'd made it into her room that she'd realized what she'd done.

**A/N: Well there it is! I hope you all loved it and I hope you all R and R. So do you all notice what Richard is doing? I mean with her friends? Well do you? Tell me! My next update should be in December by the way. **


	12. Don't dream its over

_**A/N: Wow I updated faster than I thought I would. I mean I was procrastinating from studying for a really important mathematics semester exam and bam the chapter came to me. Well I think you all might enjoy this one. It's picking up speed ..finally. Well without further ado thanks my lovely reviewers who still care enough to read and review. As for you others...if you love me you'll read and review. You want me to be happy right? **_

_**Disclaimer: All I want for Christmas is YOU. Exactly.**_

_**Note: (other than this obviously) anything in italics is happening at the same exact time that another scene is happening. Yeah...does that make sense? Well you see when you see paragraphs in italics...that scene is happening at the same time that another scene is happening. This only occurs in this chapter though okies.**_

Chapter Twelve

**Don't dream it's over**

Hermione sat in her bed staring out of a nearby window. The sky was revealing a rapidly approaching winter. She felt so tired, this year wasn't going well.

She rolled out of bed, her feet smarting at the cold smack of the floor when she let them down.

"Could it get any worse..." she muttered dragging across the floor and beginning to dress. It took even an extra effort to put on her clothes. She was so...tired.

The former perfect student made her way to breakfast.

"Great." Hermione sighed. She noticed her usual spot was occupied by none other than Ron Weasely.

"Hey Hermione." Ginny waved as she walked past them. Hermione wanted so badly to apologize, she hadn't been herself. Like herself however, she'd never admit she was wrong.

"How are you?" Ron's eyes seemed to say when she sat in the last chair at the table right beside him. She had a vague feeling that they were doing this on purpose. A charity. Ron didn't say a word to her, his eyes said it all. They were worried. Why did he care so much about her? He was the one who'd hurt her so badly. Right?

"We haven't seen you in a while. How's it going?" Ginny said while pouring ketchup on her eggs.

Hermione stared at her blankly. She was screaming inside but she couldn't speak. Ginny grew uncomfortable under the gaze and giggled nervously before realizing she'd buried her eggs in ketchup.

Ron snorted. Ginny kicked him under the table.

Silence. It was as if they were behind a glass wall. All the sounds of the students were muffled to her. The clinking of dishes. Everything. Ginny's mouth moved but Hermione couldn't hear her. Harry would whisper something to Ron and he'd look at her.

Suddenly a loud drumming, flapping of millions of wings. Hermione looked up to see a mass of owls.

"Ah yes. I hope I got a letter." Ron's voice from faraway. Hermione put her hands to her ears and shook her head. The sound returned. The glass shattered.

"Hermione-" Ginny was saying.

"What." Hermione said harshly with a frown.

"Don't get no attitude-" Ginny said but Ron kicked her. "I mean...you got some mail."

Sure enough an owl, a white owl-the name eluded her at that moment- landed in front of her carrying letters. She took the two blood red envelopes.

Suddenly their was a dense silence. The entire great hall turned their eyes on her.

"Ah ...man.." Ginny muttered. Ron sucked in his breath. Harry watched in contemplative silence.

Both the red envelopes unraveled themselves at the same time. The 20x magnified voices of her parents and her sister merged. Only snippets were understandable.

"Disappointed!..."

"Little sister!"

"Stupid Behavior!..."

"Dumb Boys!..."

"...Childish!..."

"...Brat!"

"...can't love you!..."

"..hate and shame..."

"Force you out!..."

"..how could you! A disgrace to muggles!"

"...worried!"

"...you can't be like me!"

"..shape up! We won't expect any less from you...!"

"Failure!.."

"Maturity!..."

"Surprised at you..."

"...learned your lesson!.."

The howlers exploded in a sick red confetti. Almost celebrating her embarrassment and disgust in herself and ..everything.

Hermione's eyes were blinded by tears but she could feel everyone staring.

Someone took her hand. She snatched it away.

-----

She wasn't sure of how she got to this but she was huddled on a damp cold floor in a cupboard holding her head between her knees and gripping her hair so tight the strands were breaking.

She couldn't take it. She was going to break.

She moaned painfully. Her head was swimming.

She dug her nails into the wood of the room and let out an animal-like guttural scream that shook the room and her very bones to its core. Wood tore from the walls and under her nails, her screams mingled with fiery tears.

"GAHHH!" She screamed, her vocal cords vibrated and strained. She punched the floor hard ands cried in agony, her tears fell freely each drop slapping the stone floor.

She punched harder. Her knuckles cracked and bled and she punched harder still. Blood covered her hands. Her flesh became beaten, bruised, and raw. Her throat ached from the nonstop screaming.

She can't cry anymore. She can't scream.

Looks down at her hands. She is calm now.

Apathetic. Hands covered in blood, pulsating and swollen.

_You've hurt yourself. It's their fault not yours._

"No! Go away." Hermione whimpered hoarsely into the darkness. She felt a smothering coldness. She rolled into a ball in the corner and pressed her hands to her ears.

"Go away. Lies. Go." she whispered. "_You. You. You're hurting me You_!"

The coldness left her int the darkness on the floor weeping.

------

Where was she? No one had seen her all day. He was worried. He cared about Hermione. She was his friend. Where was she and how was she?

Ron could vividly remember the look on Hermione's face this morning. Full of hurt,embarrassment, rage, and an array of other emotions. Without thinking he'd tried to comfort her or her strength by taking her hand.

Now it was late at night and he didn't see her all day. He was supposed to be at quidditch practice anyway but had opted for paroling in hopes of seeing Hermione. But also because Harry was drilling them this season.

It was when he stepped onto the North Tower that he saw his enemy. Him. The one known as Richard.

Currently Richard's back was turned. Ron took a step forward.

"Ahh Ron Weasel." Richard said whipping around alarmingly fast. He had a sneer on his face besting the meanest sneers of Draco Malfoy.

"You're not supposed to be up here. " Ron said, his fists clutched automatically under his robe sleeves and his teeth gritted.

"I'd watch those fists if I were you. You don't know what you're dealing with mortals." Richard said airily.

Ron felt a hate boil up in him. He marched recklessly into Richard's face. But he did nothing. He hated this boy but he wasn't here to pick a fight.

"Where is she?" Ron glared directly into the boy's soullessly dim eyes.

"Somewhere in pain because you all laughed at her and hurt her feelings."

"What did you do to her!" Ron was so close to punching Richard's pretty-boy face in. "You've been feeding her lies!"

"It was you who caused this Weasel. She loves me. You lose." Richard's eyes had a malicious gleam in them.

"You manipulative bastard!" Ron swung. His fist connected hard with Richard's face.

Richard stumbled slightly and...laughed. He shook his head. "Silly mortal. Foolishly brave and equally dumb."

Ron swung again. Richard caught Ron's entire fist in his hand. Ron swung again. Richard caught his entire fist in his hands and began squeezing it and wringing his wrist.

Ron fell to his knees from the pain. Richard continued to crush the bones in his hands. Ron wouldn't scream, he couldn't give this ...thing..the satisfaction.

In a struggle Richard grabbed his other hand and twisted the entire arm.

There was a loud sickening crack. Ron's arm had broken. Richard let him fall to he ground and watched him writhe in pain.

Ron glared up at Richard and spoke roughly. "What do you want from her?!"

"To love me. I love her."

_Hermione was making her solitary way to the common room when she saw Ginny bounding her._

"You all made Miss Hermione cry, ache, especially you. I'm helping her drive you all away. Her angst will be no more." Richard said walking around Ron.

"You're...nuts!" Ron screamed.

"Silence!" Richard bend over Ron. They were eye to eye.

Ron felt mingled fear with intense hate rise in him. "Go to hell!"

"Shh!" Richard's eyes turned black. Then nothing was there but two black holes. A look of pure evil and insanity. Cold air began rushing and Richard's hair began to dance in the icy wind enhancing the appearance.

Ron tried to crawl away but Richard cast 'immobilize' on him.

"Weasel. Do you love your sister?" Richard's voice came like breaking ice and sounded metallic. Ron squinted. Richard's skin was almost see-through, his face bore the appearance of a skull.

"Leave her alone! She has nothing to do with this!" Ron's muffled voice said.

_..."Hey Hermione...what happened to your hands?!" Ginny gazed in horror at Hermione's hands. _

_"Nothing." Hermione hid them behind her back._

_"What is wrong with you? It's that boy Richard isn't it? I don't like him."_

_Hermione felt a rage grow inside her. Her mind went blank and her face contorted with anger._

_"Um..." Ginny stepped back slightly._

_Hermione's hands raised without her control and came in contact with Ginny's face hard. Ginny was slammed into the stone wall. She looked up at Hermione wide eyed._

_"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"_

_"_Don't talk about Richard that way! I_ love_ him!" Richard's voice sounded demonic and intertwined with that of a female's. A familiar female.

Ron blinked. Why was he referring to himself in the third person? A bit slow on the uptake..

_..."Love?! You barely know him!" Ginny scrambled up._

_"What would a slutty pauper like you know about love?!" Hermione shouted. Why was she saying this?!_

Did he just call Ron a slutty pauper? Ron forgot his pain as he watched Richard in fear and confusion.

"You filthy bitch! Why don't you just go and screw something?! Everyone has had you! That's why Harry..."

_"...left you! Because no one wants a whore! You only wanted him because he's famous! You dirty poor piece of filth! You're beneath me! Get your own life and quit interfering with ours!" Hermione shoved a hurt looking Ginny out of her way and entered the common room._

Richard laughed as his eyes returned to normal and the cold winds died down.

"It's called occulemency. It's the advanced version, not what you people learn in this school." Richard explained airily to an wide-eyed Ron.

_Hermione sat on her bed trying to make sense of what had just happened. Someone had been screwing with her mind and this wasn't the first time..._

Richard looked down at Ron with a look of disgust. "Are you in pain?"

Ron glared up at the insanity standing before him.

"Hmm..I see. Very well." Richard sharply kicked Ron repeatedly in the chest until Ron began bleeding from the mouth. Gagging and chocking on his own blood.

"Silly mortal. Tricks are for kids. You see it's quite simple. You hurt my miss Hermione. I hurt you." Richard pulled out his wand and pointed it at Ron.

Ron knew this was it. He closed his eyes. He was about to die.

"Remobilzaga." Richard said calmly.

Ron's eyes popped open. His legs and arms sprung apart giving him the ability to move again. His pain returned tenfold.

"Why didn't you ..kill me...?" Ron coughed up blood.

"Because My Hermione cares deeply for you. Though it is a bit foolish caring...and I wouldn't want to anger her. But rest assured. You will die by my hand. For I shall not leave by yours." Richard said.

"You-" Ron gagged and sputtered up more blood.

"Ewww. If I were you I would see a doctor. Madam Pomfrey is still up no doubt." Richard said kicking Ron one more time.

There was a burst of light and in Richard's place were little black lights moving like mermaids. They ...Ron figured..were the makings of his soul. That would mean..

"Watch your back Weasel." Richard's voice came from all around him. The little lights faded.

Leaving Ron broken and bleeding on the stone cold ground in blood.

--------

Hermione sat in her bed with her face in her hands. All of this hate, anger, pain, angst, trouble and ..tears. She could now see that it all led to one person when her mind wasn't clouded.

She would have to stop seeing him in every possible way. She'd had enough.

Surely he'd take it well and understand...right? Wrong.

-------

_**A/N: Ahh yes Ron and Richard's first confrontation. Richard pwned him this time...anyway did you guys understand that scene with the italics and stuff? Anyway you guys know the drill! Read and Review. How else will I know what you think? **_

_**I should be updating again soon since I'm out for Christmas break WHOOOHOO. **_


	13. End of the Indian summer

**A/N: See I told you all I'd be updating again soon. Would you believe it took me almost 5 hours to write this chapter?! Thanks my faithful readers and those who I haven't been seeing commenting lately (you know who you are...) I shall be very sore with you. Mwhahahah. Just kidding. Without further ado here is ...dum dum dum...chapter 13!!!! **

**Chapter 13**

_The end of the Indian summer_

**------**

Hermione snuggled deeper into her sheets and closed her eyes tightly. It was the weekend, she didn't want to move. It wasn't as if anyone would notice she wasn't there. People weren't fond of her as of late.

The warmth of her bed and squishy comfort of her mattress wasn't enough to deafen her ears though.

"...maybe Hermione beat him up." Lavender's voice came through the sheets. "You should stop smoking before you end up in the hospital as well."

"It'll be just as well. Then I can spend quality time with your ex and woo his heart." Parvati coughed.

"Whatever!" Lavender laughed.

The door slammed indicating that they'd left.

Hermione threw off her covers. Ron was in the hospital?! Maybe Richard knew of her plans to leave and tried to hurt him? Maybe she herself had hurt him unintentionally?

She quickly dressed in some blue jeans and a maroon sweater and rushed down the stairs, out of the portrait hole and toward the hospital wing.

What if he was actually going to die this time? She couldn't live with knowing that he was gone and that it was all her fault.

Hermione continued to run, shoving someone out of the way.

"Hey watch it mudblood!" a Slytherin boy shouted usually she would have retaliated but she decided not to. Instead she continued to run.

She reached the ward and ran toward the main door...and got the wind knocked out of her. She hit the ground with a thud and blinked back the stars in her eyes. Rubbing her head she looked up.

"Oh...Hermione? Damn what were you standing behind the door for?"

It was Ron. He was looking down at her with a mixed expression of confusion and laughter. It was her brilliant red haired Ron.

"I...came to ...see you." She said trying to regain her breath.

"Really..." Ron said looking down at her for a moment, as if he was trying to see if she was herself or not. She adverted her eyes. "Let me help you up." he said suddenly extending his hand.

Hermione hesitantly took his hand and a jolt of electricity shot through her. He pulled her up with a strange expression on his face. Maybe he had felt it too.

"Thank you." Hermione muttered looking down at the floor.

"Damn you're really pale." was his reply.

That's all he had to say? Hermione remembered that this was still _Ron_.

"That was highly unnecessary and rude." Hermione frowned.

Ron shook his head and laughed. " I meant you've been inside all fall and autumn is almost over."

"Your point?" Hermione raised an eyebrow trying not to like the coy smile that had formed on his lips.

"Follow me!" he said taking her hand and running.

"Ron! Where are we going!" she breathed as they ran through the corridors, students and teachers stopping to stare.

"To hell but that's not the point!" Ron called back to her as he led her into the entrance hall.

Hermione allowed herself to be pulled along her thoughts drifted to Richard strangely enough. She began to not be able to hear Ron's laughter...the glass wall was coming back.

Suddenly the blinding sun reawakened her. The cool autumn air hit her and she looked around. The full expanse of the Hogwarts grounds was covered in multicolored leaves. By this time half of them were browning and dying. The trees were completely naked.

Ron was a little ahead of her looking up at the sky with his hands on his hips.

Hermione felt so guilty, now would be a great chance to clear the air. She approached him gingerly, her feet crunching loudly on the leaves. His back was still turned and he was still looking up.

Hermione's eyes followed his gaze, he was not looking up at the sky...but at the north tower.

"Ron." she said with more force than what was necessary.

"Wha- oh hey 'Mione." Ron said turning toward her, the calm expression on his face was slightly strained.

Hermione smiled slightly worried. "I'm sorry..."

"Oh I don't want to hear that crud right now. I just want to make you happy, you've been stressed out. I mean with Harry being the top of our class right now you're bound to be feeling the pressure. " Ron cut her off abruptly.

"But-" she tried to bring the subject back up but Ron flung leaves at her. She sputtered and spit them out , he'd shoved them in her mouth.

"Now that's a scene for posterity." Ron laughed. His laugh was so ...everything it made her smile. She shoved him down into the pile of leaves.

"That's a scene for posterity eh? I'll show you posterity!" Hermione made a battle cry and was poised to 'attack' but lost her balance and fell face first into the leaves.

She wrestled Ron down in their pile and shoved a handful of leaves into his mouth.

Their laughter filled the air as they chased each other across the entire grounds, flinging leaves at each other.

There was a stiff breeze. Hermione was lost in a flurry of leaves surrounding her in a tornado.

"Ron?" Hermione laughed breathing hard and leaning slightly on her knees to catch her breath.

No answer.

"Ron?!" Hermione said a little louder trying to see through the leaves.

The wind and leaves rushed faster. It was so loud she couldn't even hear herself speak.

"RON?!" she shouted over the wind, slight fear rising in her.

The tornado ceased. Hermione looked around as the leaves rained down around her.

"Ron?" Hermione looked around.

"BLAAHGHH!" a figure jumped out of nowhere and into her face.

"ARRGH!" Hermione screamed..and then...

"Haha you should have seen the look on your face!" Ron laughed holding the stitch in his chest.

Hermione tackled him and they both lost their balance and went rolling down an incline in the grounds through the leaves.

They rolled to a stop and burst out laughing. It was she whom first stopped laughing however. She had noticed the way they had landed. Ron was laying on her and she was pinned under him.

"Ron..tehe hehehe..." Hermione said. Ron's green eyes blinked and his cheeks turned pink with realization.

"Well that was fun." he laughed awkwardly.

"So...how did you get in the hospital?" Hermione said after Ron rolled off her. She was now sitting, covered in leaves with her knees drawn up to her chest.

Ron himself was laying back in the leaves casually picking leaves out of his hair.

"How do you think?" he said, there was a sudden sting in his voice.

"I have no idea..." Hermione lied. She had an idea..a big idea who and probably how. She strongly believed it was Richard, but she wouldn't say that. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. She wanted to believe he was that perfectly nice boy that she'd met almost two months ago.

"You still believe in him don't you? You still trust him and everything?" Ron sat up looking at her with a frown. There was a small hint of pain in his voice.

"No it's not that...well...yes..." she muttered lamely not looking at Ron. She could practically feel what he was feeling: disgust and frustration.

"Hermione he's crazy! He's being doing occulemency on you for the longest! Would someone who loved you do that? Hell no." Ron spat out, he sighed in frustration.

"Occulemency?" Hermione muttered weakly to herself. She recalled reading that he was quite advanced in it. So..he'd been using her?

"Yeah open your eyes Hermione! You're his puppet! He's been using you! Why was he so nice to you? To gain your trust for his sick twisted plot, whatever that may be!"

"No...he..." Hermione whimpered weakly, her head was beginning to ache. She gripped her hair.

"Hermione?" Ron said with concern putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know what to believe.." she put her head between her knees and rocked back and forth. The truth was so bitter, she felt like a fool.

"Believe me. He's not whatever you think he is. He's dangerous and he's damned nuts." Ron said standing up and leaving her in those leaves.

Hermione watched him go with horror. She'd wanted him with her, she'd began to feel vunerable the further he walked from her.

She lay in the leaves silently thinking of the best way to tell Richard that it was over. Whatever it was.

As the sun set shadows spread across the grounds from the trees creating ominous shadows.

Hermione lay their invisible to the world, deep in her own thought.

It was night when she'd finally reached a solid decision.

----

Hermione hugged her cloak around herself as she reached the tower, she assumed he'd be up here. He wasn't. She climbed back down the stairs and made her blind way down deep below the school to the music room.

"Lumos" she muttered causing a little light to emit from her wand. The further below the school she went the colder she became. The hairs on her neck stood on end. She hugged her cloak closer to herself.

Then she heard it. A beautiful mournful tune full of hate, pain, and loss. Insanity.

"He's playing his harp." she muttered walking toward the music.

There he was in the music room. He was sitting at the harp, his head inclined, his face impassive, his black hair fell over into his face as he moved his fingers gracefully over the harp strings.

He played with such passion, such...resolve. Hermione sighed, she felt so sorry for him.

_Do it before it's too late._ A figure appeared in the corner of the room, her face was covered in a shadow but she knew who it was: Abigail Rose. Her image faded as quickly as it had appeared.

Hermione entered the music room and silently waited for Richard to look up.

This would be harder than she first thought wouldn't it.

"What a pleasure to you see you again Miss Hermione. You don't seem well." Richard looked up suddenly stopping his music and brushing his hair from his face revealing those silver eyes. Those eyes that she'd looked into many times for comfort. She felt betrayed.

"Richard I have to tell you something." she said her eyes burning with resolve.

"Yes? I am at full attention." Richard said taking his hands from the harp and standing up, walking toward her. She moved backward toward the entrance.

"Promise you won't be angry." Hermione said now against the wall. Richard was sanding in front of her now his eyes staring directly into hers. She adverted her eyes.

Richard chuckled slightly,was it condescending? Was he amused? Maybe.

"You could never anger me Miss Hermione." he said tilting her face up with his cold hands. She flinched and moved away from him.

"Don't interrupt me either please." shes said breathing sharply.

"What is it?" Richard said leaning against the door silently watching her.

Hermione closed her eyes tightly and breathed in deeply.

"I'm sorry." she blurted.

"For what?" Richard said his eyes reduced to silver slits as he peered at her giving him the slight appearance of a viper.

"Well let me finish." Hermione chewed on her nail.

"Stop masticating your finger nails, that is utterly disgusting and not fit for your beautiful body. You are ruining your delicate hands." Richard practically commanded.

Hermione instantly stopped. _So it was true. Be brave Hermione it can't be that hard. I'm his doll aren't I? He will understand._

"I'm sure I will." Richard said mostly to himself.

"What?" Hermione looked up at him but quickly adverted her eyes.

"Nothing. Continue. I shall not speak again until you are done speaking." his musically soft voice said.

"Okay." Hermione stared at the floor. "I"m sorry but I can't see you anymore or be your friend. It is for my health and my sanity. And the safety of those I love and care about. I fear that your intentions are not as pure as you would like me to believe. I know about the occulemency Richard. I am not your toy. I must go." she exhaled.

Richard looked up at her. "Ronald put you up to this." he said calmly leaning against the door, his eyes were so much like slits now that they were barely visible.

"I have a mind of my own. I have decided on my own." Hermione said stonily.

"Very well. I can not let you go." Richard said. The candles in the room flickered and the room grew cold.

"Richard you are overreacting."she said heading for the door which he was still blocking.

"You said you loved me!" Richard's eyes began to glow and his voice changed, it was clear he was angry.

"I _never_ said that and if I did it was never true!" Hermione said pleadingly. She thought to pull out her wand but she didn't want to give him cause to attack her.

"Enough!" he silenced her, the room grew steadily cold.

"Let me go!"Hermione stomped her foot for emphasis.

"Abigail you can't ever leave!"

"I AM NOT ABIGAIL ROSE!" Hermione screamed her head began to ache painfully.

Richard began to laugh. It frightened her deeply.

"You know nothing My Hermione." he began to approach her with a manic gleam in his eyes. "You are weak without me."

Hermione dashed around him and heard a loud crash. She looked behind her to see Richard on the ground, his cloak covering his entire body.

She tried the door. He'd locked it with magic.

Richard roared angrily behind her.

"Hermione!" his voice said darkly, she could hear him moving.

She whipped out her wand and quickly unlocked the door.

"YOU WILL REGRET THIS!"

She ran flat out from the area and didn't stop until she'd reached the inside of the common room.

"Did you tell him?" Ron said on the boy's staircase looking down at her with a frown.

"Yes...I fear I've made the worst possible mistake." Hermione said.

------

**A/N: Bwwahahh it's far from over!Bwhahah. Yeah...um anyway my beautiful lovely adorable little kittens and puppies tell me what you think. That means review. You see that lovely purple button..yeah click it! Ayay! How else will I know how you feel? Now I must say this if I am scaring any of you guys with my private messages please say so I know I can get a little eccentric :).**


	14. In the eye of the storm

_**A/N: Wow I know I haven't updated in a while, but with 11th grade stuff (prom, college, scholarships, class rings, ACT, SAT, friends problems,eating girl scout cookies..) I've been kinda busy. Not to mention I've been writing some original fictions. It's shorter than some of the others I'm afraid but it was necessary to put include this one. Well I'm going to shut up.**_

_**Disclaimer: gah do I really have to spell it out for ya? I am the easter bunny and I've come to take your soul.**_

**_-------_**

**Chapter 14**

_In the eye of the storm_

There was a blanket of snow covering Hogwarts' grounds. Winter had brought about change for everyone especially Hermione. While the other students were out on the grounds staging snow wars or practicing for the upcoming Quidditch game she was alone. Working always. Her hands cramped from holding a quill nonstop. She'd been working so hard in and out of class that when she did take a small amount of time to close her eyes the words from her textbooks were imprinted on her eyelids.

Life it would seem had gotten better. Hermione was never late and concentrated hard on her class work. Every night she could be seen up late in the common room hidden behind mountains of work.

To make things worse for her, there was always a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Paranoia. It was never good to be looking over your shoulder constantly fearing every dark corner, wondering if he was watching. Life wasn't easy but at least she had Ron right?

Ron. He seemed to keep his distance from her after her so-called emancipation from Richard. At first she allowed herself to believe he was discontent with her but it became apparent that he was afraid she might blow a gasket anytime and he did not want to be a victim of it.

Beyond trying to get herself back on the track she desired, Hermione spent "spare time" in the library trying to learn information about Richard's condition. How, if he truly was from over 100 years ago, was he currently alive and seventeen in the present day?

----

Nothing. Still nothing. Hermione scratched her hair and sipped from her thermos of hot chocolate. There couldn't possibly be nothing at all about what she was looking for in the library's books.

Hermione shivered slightly and hugged her thick cloak to herself and looked over her shoulders.

"Quit being silly. Just because you feel a cold breeze doesn't mean it is _him_" she muttered to herself and continued to thumb through the thick book she'd gotten from the library.

She was sitting in the snow covered gardens in a Gazebo covered in vines, surrounded by books, it would have been hard for anyone who didn't know her well to find her but for him it was insanely easy.

Ron crunched through the snow trying to balance a present and a thermos of hot cocoa. When he reached the Gazebo he pulled the branches aside. Hermione looked up wide eyed and ready to attack or flee, but upon realizing who it was her eyes softened.

"Ron how did you know I was in here?" Hermione smiled slightly.

"Male Intuition" he said coyly as he placed his thermos on one of the book stacks. Hermione frowned at his total disrespect of library books.

"No really?" the bushy-haired brunette watched him incredulously.

"Fine. You really wanna know?" he heaved in a deep breath. "I figured 'hey if she isn't working then she's probably researching Shinra'-"

"Richard."

"Whatever." he waved away the comment, "anyway. ..so I said 'hmmm, it's not that cold today and my lovely friend always enjoys seclusion' and that's how I figured you'd be exactly here at the said time." Ron exhaled grinning.

Hermione chuckled warmly, "Well you were right." she noticed he was holding his hands behind his back. "Ron?"

Ron's eyes were looking over the limited space in the gazebo and trying to figure out somewhere to sit. "Yeah?"

"What's behind your back?"

Ron's grin became devilishly handsome. "I was waiting for you to ask me that"

He stood in front of her, "BAM!!!" he hollered making her jump, in her face was a thick old book. Letters on the cover fading.

Hermione's eyes traveled over the title. "Shadow hearts, unsents, and ghosts?" Hermione took the book from him with a raised eyebrow.

"Exactly" the red head was very much proud of himself. "All this other mess ain't holding no answer." he smacked a stack of books down off the bench, causing them to crash over the floor.

"You have _NO_ respect for the written word!" Hermione gasped.

Ron plopped down beside her with a stupid look on his face. "Oh really? Oopsie my bad."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Besides, Ronald, this book is from the restricted section, how did _you_ get it?"

A mischievous impish grin crossed his face. Hermione held her hand up, she didn't even want to know now.

"Well Ron thanks, but I already read this one thoroughly."

Ron's grin got wider. "Did you notice a couple of pages missing?" he patted her on the shoulder and then flung the book at the wall, it fell open revealing a torn section.

Hermione ignored the fact that he violated books and listened for his logic...if there was any.

"That's why I have this: it holds all the answers." he was pointing to his..pants.

Hermione felt heat rise in her face. "Ron..."

Ron fished in his pockets and pulled out a small sized thin book. Hermione chided herself for the perverted thought.

He handed her the book and she scanned the title.

"_The lost heart's guide to romance: how to win them in 10 days_?" Hermione blinked.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Clueless smart girl." he opened the book and instantly it was obvious two pages didn't belong in the book.

"Geostickma, the pages binded themselves to another book after being torn from the other." Hermione muttered.

"Yep." Ron patted her on the back. "The book stood out like a sore thumb in the restricted section. There's some good tips in there though."

Hermione shook her head and took the book from Ron and began to read the fist page aloud. "...while ghosts and unsents are similar to shadows..." she stopped, Ron's green orbs were boring into the side of her face. "What?"

"What did you think I meant when I pointed?" he had a small smirk on his face.

Hermione didn't answer but smacked the book on his face. "Quit being a boy."

"If I did that then that'd cause problems for you wouldn't it" Ron shot back laughing to himself.

"Shut up I'm trying to read." Hermione said willing her lips not to turn up in a smile.

"Fine fine fine" Ron said peering over her shoulder. He smelled of warm cedar and snow. Hermione inhaled and then began to read again.

"Shadows are similar to unsent and ghosts...but they are not alive or dead. Unlike unsent they aren't merely an imprint of a person's soul recreated through an intense desire to stay with the living for one reason or another. In fact shadows, also called Shadow Hearts are..." Hermione rubbed her tired eyes.

"Tired?" Ron commented. "C'mon finish reading it."

"Okay okay." Hermione turned her eyes back to the text. "they are malicious beings that can't leave the world of the living. They are only 2 accounts of people being encountered by Shadows.-"

"Three now..hell four if you count me..."

"-A shadow retains the appearance they had when they died. Unlike unsents who can change their appearance or ghosts who are always in a foggy white, they are virtually solid and passable as a human being... "

Ron interrupted with a laugh, "So let me get this straight..he's _immortal_?!"

Hermione stared at his warm green eyes for a moment. That was something she didn't want to think about. "Maybe. Apparently they act as they did when they were alive, powered by the darkness in their hearts and the energy of the shadow world...so if-"

"Nuh uh Hermione, we aren't going down that road...you aren't going back."he said forcefully.

Hermione sighed and checked her watch. "We'll finish this later. I've got to get back to work."

She began to get up to leave but Ron caught her hand. Hermione looked back.

"Ron's smile was gone from his face and he looked at her intensely. "Hermione..."

"What Ron?" Hermione said. She wished he would let go of her hand.

"Don't do it."

"What are you talking about?" the girl blinked.

"You're going back to him thinking that your "love" can take away his darkness and he'll leave. That's bullshit 'Mione. It's not your fault and you're not going back." Ron's eyes burned, the green flames in those orbs showed that he meant what he said.

"Well?" Ron said not taking his eyes from her.

"I've got to get back to work, I'm behind." she muttered , adverting her eyes and taking her hand back.

"Hermione you can't avoid the question!" Ron stood up frowning.

She quickly gathered her books.

"Hermione!"

She briskly left the room , muttering a swift thank you and good bye.

"Damn it" Ron muttered watching her go.

-----

Ron couldn't pay attention during practice. His mind kept reverting back to Hermione. Everything Harry said when in one ear and out the other.

He flew high into the air, the wind blowing fast past his ears drowning out anyone's voice.

"Alright everyone! Get in position, the game against Hufflepuff is only a couple of days away!" Ron heard Harry saying.

He watched the other teammates fly into the air.

"What are you thinking about?_ Her_?" Ginny muttered nastily as she flew by her older brother.

Ron didn't say anything and simply got into position by the goal posts. He wasn't going to argue the point with Ginny about Hermione. Ginny didn't even want to hear the "Stuck-up two-faced ugly ass bitch"'s name.

He understood where his little sister was coming from but he was on Hermione's side and that in it's self aggravated Ginny. Claiming that he thought with his hormones and not his heart.

"Alright today we are going to do a 10 minute warm up with the Quaffle. Throwing it from one to the other." Harry's voice brought Ron back to the present.

Ron rubbed his hands to warm them up and did a small spin on his broom.

"It's cold out here hurry up!" the newest beater shouted.

_Lazy Bastard. _Ron thought. Hmph they'd never be as good as his twin brothers Fred and George. Thought he'd never tell his brother's that...they'd take it to their heads.

"Okay we'll start with Ginny" Harry threw the large red ball to the 'understudy seeker' and she caught it.

_I wonder what Hermione is doing. I hope she's not gonna run back to that-_

The wind was almost knocked out of him as his face connected with something hard. He clung to his broom to steady himself and held his face. The entire team was laughing.

"You're supposed to _catch_ it Ron!" Ginny said, her laughter rang out the loudest and was rude, full of hidden yet obvious spite. She clapped hands with another team mate and gave her brother a cutting glare. She tossed her flaming hair over her shoulder.

"_Bitch"_ Ron muttered angrily and felt his face. It was hot where the Quaffle had hit it and he just _knew_ it was going to bruise.

"Okay okay everyone back to work" Harry said retrieving the quaffle before it hit the ground.

-------

Ron was the last to land that night at the end of practice, he was so tired, it would seem Harry was pushing for later and later practices everyday.

He flung his broom over his shoulder and walked slowly across the moonlit stadium and thinking Hermione again. It was then that it began to snow. He looked up at the sky allowing the flakes to fall on his face and cling to his eyelashes.

He heard an animal like howl. He froze and began to quickly go across the quidditch field. Who knew who was out there.

"Wait up!"

Harry was jogging toward him, his broom also slung over his shoulders. Ron groaned inwardly and waited.

"What's up?" Ron asked as they began a brisk walk toward the school.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to talk to you mate." Harry said looking over at Ron.

Ron frowned and tucked strands of his red hair behind his ears. "about?"

"You seem troubled and very distracted-"

"Don't worry Harry, I'll be on task for the game." Ron said dryly.

Why was he so negative towards people these days? Maybe he was just releasing his frustration about Hermione and that...thing..person.

"Yeah Ron I know all that. It's just that mate you've been really tense and I'm well..concerned." Harry said.

Ron sighed. "It's alright Harry, its just all that school work and stuff." he shrugged hoping Harry would get off the subject.

"It's her isn't it? You're preoccupied with her? About how she's...been?" Harry asked cautiously. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Aren't you like mad at her? Hermione?" Ron said adjusting his broom.

"Well..."

"I'm going to go ahead. I'm freezing." Ron said abruptly as the school came into view. He really did not want to hear Harry's answer, he was sure it was similar to Ginny's.

-----

The common room was quiet and empty, at least that's what it seemed. Ron could hear soft sobs echoing in the room. He put down his broom and walked over to the sound.

There she was her entire frame shaking with suppressed sobs, books scattered around, parchment torn, ink and quills all over the place...

"Hermione?" Ron whispered placing a hand on her back. Why was she crying? He peered closely at her.

Hermione looked up at him with tear-stained eyes, her bushy brown hair all over her head. She seemed so weak and helpless. It hurt him to see her so defeated.

"I can't do this." she sniffled, fresh tears beginning to roll down her cheeks and dot the papers surrounding her.

Ron wanted to brush her tears from her face and hold her and caress her hair soothingly and tell her everything would be okay. Instead he didn't.

"You can't do what 'Mione?" Ron said softly.

"All this work is due tomorrow..." she cried. "I'm a failure!" she tried to wipe away her tears but they continued to fall. Ron reached his free hand out but then drew it back uninsured. Usually he always made it worse so he held back.

"Mione you're not a failure. You're brilliant, strong, and smart y'know. Life, isn't easy is all." he said lamely. Hermione's head hit the desk and she sobbed again even louder.

Crap what did he say? Damn it he never did anything right.

" Mione?" Ron pulled her hair back and used a string to tie it back. "C'mon look I'll help you alright!" Ron said quickly picking up her scattered work. Hermione looked up incredulously. Ron? Offering to help? With work?

"You?" she blinked wiping away her tears.

"Heey what's that suppose to mean? You didn't know that _all of this_ was smart? Ron said doing a flamboyant body motion with a quill, flinging ink everywhere.

A teary laugh emitted from Hermione. "Thank you." she smiled and laughed at him.

Ron's cheeks became quite hot, he quickly sat down and looked over the mass of papers. This was going to be a long night.

Hermione organized the work between the two quickly, giving him the 'easy' stuff.

She silently watched him admiringly as he managed to keep himself awake and help her. When he would look up their eyes would meet and she would quickly look down. The same thing happened every ten minutes.

Hermione lay her head down on on a book and continued to work, she just wanted to rest her eyes a bit. When she looked up Ron was snoring on a transfiguration report.

Hermione tiredly checked her watch. It didn't even seem like much time had passed. Suddenly her attention was drawn to the portrait hole, it was half open.

She got up and went over to the open hole and tried to close it but it wouldn't budge. Then she saw it.

Blood. A thick red trail of blood was oozing down the empty corridor.

Against better judgment Hermione stepped out into the hall and a cold shiver went down her spine, she hugged her cloak to herself.

She stopped short at the far end of the corridor near an adjacent hall was a body slumped over, blood splattered the walls behind it.

Hermione bent down to check the pulse, her hand went straight through the body.

"Help somebody!" she shouted running down the next corridor. She had to find someone. Anyone.

The girl's face connected hard with the cold stone floor. She had tripped over something. Or rather someone...

She felt around in the dark..and touched a limp arm. Suddenly she was blinded by a bright light and the hall way was illuminated.

She screamed. The entire hallway was dripping in a thick pool of blood, bodies slumped against walls, on the floor, and a few moaning in pain death taking them slowly.

She screamed again and ran flat out. Hermione turned down dark corridor after dark corridor, always running into the same scenario over and over again.

Clearly, she began to panic. Screaming for help, calling the names of the people she knew and loved frantically.

She fell and fell and fell, fighting the air was futile.

Her body slammed hard onto a wet stone floor stopping her. She stood slowly and looked up. She had fallen through the floor apparently. The light from above showed a figure laying on a elevated stone slab.

She sloshed through the dark water and touched the person. It was a girl, deep bloody gashes covered her body. It was then that Hermione came to the realization that this was blood she was standing in. Not water.

Cautiously she rolled the girl's body over.

"Ginny?!" she whispered hoarsely. No. It couldn't be Ginny. No. She was in her room...Hermione held her hand over her mouth to stifle a scream and hold back the need to vomit.

She shook the horribly maimed body of what used to be Ron's sister. Her flaming red hair flashed blood in Hermione's face.

"You're welcome miss Hermione."

Hermione froze and all the sound left the room but a soft evil ice like laugh. Hermione couldn't speak or move. She continued to stare down at the dead body of her best friend's little sister.

"Now we will be happy." Richard was directly behind her now, his cold eyes staring through her, his frigid hands holding her squarely by the shoulders. "This ginger haired princess will never talk against you again. Does that not make you jubilant?" he said moving Hermione's hair off her neck and kissing it.

A single tear rolled rolled down Hermione's cheek and fell onto Ginny's bloody face.

"Now dear you belong to me." Richard kissed her neck again. Her removed her cloak and exposed her bare shoulders. His lips grazed them coldly and possesivly, his sharp teeth grazed her skin drawing blood. "You are happy yes? You are beautiful when you bleed."

A strangled sob escaped Hermione's lips. Why couldn't she move? "No one will stand between us. No one will every talk against us. We will make music together. Forever. Everyone will feel our pain. Starting with her." he said icily.

Suddenly Hermione's body sprang into action.

"YOU SICK BASTARD!" she screamed hitting him wherever she could.

He grabbed her roughly by her wrists and pinned her down against a blood covered wall. She screamed "No!" over and over. "I'M NOT ABIGAIL!" she kicked and fought. His sharp nails slicked her wrist in the fray, her blood pouring out of her wound.

Richard pinned her harder, his eyes flashed dangerously, it was almost animal-like. Hermione fought harder.

"NO! STOP! NO! STOP!! GO AWAY! I HATE YOU! NO!"

"Hermione!"

"STOP I HATE YOU!"

"HERMIONE YOU'RE HURTING ME!"

Suddenly Ron came into view, she was in the common room as before. Ron was holding her hands away from her and he had a shallow cut on his cheek where she was sure she'd struck him.

"'Mione! It's okay. You were dreaming!" Ron tried to calm her down. "Shhh."

Hermione clung to his warm body and sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright." Ron stroked her hair while she sobbed. "I'm with you. It's just us."

Hermione spoke through sobs."Where's Ginny?"

"Asleep..upstairs..why?"

"I...I do not know..." Hermione whispered hoarsely staring at the fresh scar on her wrist.

It had all seemed so ...real...

----

**A/N: I have a question. What if I _changed_ the _title _of this story to something less 'unoriginal'? Would you be able to recognize the story under a _new title_? How do most of you who don't have me under your favorites or alerts (_hint hint_) find the story? By typing in the t_itle_? I mean the title really has been bugging me, I want to change it but I want everyone to still be able to find it you know. So I would love some tips on what the title should be and feedback. **_Oh and don't forget to review this chapter! _

**Also just so you know I should be updating again about three times when spring break comes alrighty? Anyway read and review and tell me what you think and what is that "dream" foreshadowing? If anything? Hmmm? Yeah I love reading your comments so give me some feedback!_ I still enjoy writing this story so don't worry about me discontinuing it. I promise I won't! I'm sure some of you have wondered..._**

**_Another thing: about the title. I would love some suggestions! If I like your suggestion I'll use it and give you credit in the next chapter. I need an original title, something that stands out in the masses :) _**

**_Love ya,_**

**_Goodwitch2008 (not such a good... witch..mwhaah)_**


	15. Under the Shadows of the Moon

**A/N: See told ya I would be updating again soon. I had my first time..shooting a gun and bow and arrows..neat isn't it? This chappie contains my first action sequence...yeah I don't think it all went well but I guess you'll have to be the judge of that ha. Anyway haha let me get on with the story. I believe this is the longest chapter I've written so far... Oh yeah warning but Ron says some pretty nasty cursing on this chapter..but I mean it IS_ T _for a reason. **

**Disclaimer: I am J.K. Rowling. Yeah...uh uh..if you believe that not only are you the dumbest most clueless piece of milk duds I've seen in my life (lol) but you are also just...I dunno...anyway here's the story. Gah I hate disclaimers...**

**Chapter 15**

_Under the Shadows of the Moon_

It's funny how little things can change people, how fighting together can bring two polar opposites closer together. What's even funnier is how a person could change another's entire life just by telling them they love them. Even if they didn't mean it. It was sad how love could make one feel like they were flying, yet if left unrequited could make one feel like they were dying. Love had mysterious powers, it could turn enemies into friends, make the sane lose their mind, ruin relationships, cause pain..yet people always wanted it. Dreamed of that special someone. That perfect someone who would wipe away their tears when they cried, hold them when they were cold, be there always, and forever know what they were thinking.

Had she truly been dumb enough to fall into that mind trap called love?! She'd always been the smartest, the one who never would be stupid enough to lose herself in a false something. But isn't that what she had done? She had opened up her mind and heart to the first person who seemed to care, now she was living in a nightmare. She was drowning in emotions she didn't even know she had. As much as she tried she couldn't stop going under. Her thoughts always went to him, she would feel a bit colder, the bright winter day would get dreary and dark, she wouldn't be able to breath. Was this what love felt like? Everyday constantly looking over her shoulder, wondering if he was watching? The inability to sleep for fear that if she relaxed her mind, he'd be there, using it? Hardly eating because everything she ate tasted like sandpaper? Well, there was a saying: you can't eat, you can't sleep, you can't weep when you love someone-

Hermione Granger was pulled from hr thoughts, a bludger had landed on her lap, scattering her books to the ground. She sighed and gathered up her fallen papers quickly.

"Sorry 'bout that." a voice said.

Hermione looked up. A frowning covered red haired girl was hovering over the stands, she was holding out her hand expectantly.

"Hi...Ginny." Hermione muttered, she picked up the greasy black ball and dropped it suddenly. It was surprisingly heavy. They watched it roll away down the stands and eventually it fell through an opening, it made a thunk as it hit the earth beneath.

"Great. Just great." Ginny rolled her eyes with a sneer that appeared to be saying 'stupid smart girl can't even hold a damn ball.' She sped to the ground sharply, her red hair streaking behind her like an angry flame, and landed.

Hermione sighed. Would Ginny ever forgive her? The image of Ginny's dead mangled corpse stayed fresh in her mind. What if he truly meant destroying Ginny for her? Is that what love was? Doing _anything_ to make another happy? If Ginny died she would not be happy. If Ginny died Ron would be-

Her head began to throb dully. She dropped her quill and put her face in her hands until the pain stopped.

"Migraines?"

"No." she looked up. Parvati Patil was sitting beside her, brushing her silk raven hair into a ponytail. Hermione stared at the girl for a moment, something was missing.

"Where's lavender and your sister, Padma, Parvati?"

Parvati sighed wistfully and adjusted her deep red scarf. "Around." she said glancing at Hermione with her hard brown eyes.

"Oh" Hermione let it go and picked up her quill, she had to finish an essay for Professor Bunasa.

Lavender fished into her robes and pulled out a long white cigarette and a pretty lighted with oriental designs. Hermione glanced at her and went back to writing.

"Damn." Parvati muttered. "Hey Granger could you light this for me?" she held out the lighter. Hermione stared at it. "It ain't gonna bite."

"I know...but couldn't you just use an um...wand? A simple fire spell?"

Parvati shook her head. "Nuh uh, I tried that before." she pushed up her left sleeve to reveal a minor burn mark on her beautiful milky brown skin. "it was like a blow torch." she laughed putting her sleeve back down. " I would light it myself but these gloves make it hard."

"Alright." Hermione took the lighter and lit the cigarette for her, then she went back to writing. The thick smoke in the cold atmosphere made her nose itch, she hated the smell of nicotine.

"Parvati? Why do you smoke?" she asked innocently placing her hands in her lap.

"First them, now you. I smoke because I wanna and it's a stress reliever." she said blowing out a cloud of smoke.

"You can relieve stress in other ways you know." Hermione watched the girl put the cigarette to her red lips again.

"Yeah well." Parvati shrugged. "I don't care."

"It's quite harmful to your health." Hermione said.

Parvati didn't answer but watched the Gryffindor Quidditch team practice. Hermione stared, Parvati seemed bothered and stressed out. She had baggy wrinkles under her almond eyes, her skin seemed tainted, and she looked very tired. But Hermione said nothing to her about it, instead she went back to working, if Parvati didn't want to talk, that was fine with her, she hardly talked to her dorm mates anyway.

"They are so stupid. Lavender and Padma, thinking they're better than me. Just because I don't act like a stupid Prep they call my smoking disgusting and claim they can't be around me. Talking about how I've changed. I think they're jealous because I have a boyfriend and they don't. They don't understand him."

Hermione looked up. "Huh?"

Parvati nodded. "Yeah, they are jealous of him and me. Talking about he's a bad influence and he's changing me."

Hermione blinked. Parvati _had_ changed. She wore a lot of make up that gave her an older appearance than that of a seventeen year old, her nails were painted blood red and were longer than any normal person's-acrylic nails- and under her open school robes, it was obvious she was wearing jeans so tight that it clung to her like a second layer of skin. Her shirt was low cut and tight as well. Maybe they were right.

"Um...tell me about it. I'll listen." Hermione put her quill down and gave Parvati her undivided attention.

_They use you because of your benevolence. They all shall bleed._

"Oh really? Alright look-" she snuffed out the rest of the cigarette. "Over the summer, right, I met this really neat guy at a poetry reading Lavender's mom had tickets to. So anyway we started chatting and stuff. I thought he was so cool and deep and mature. He showed me stuff about poetry and stuff, I showed him my dances. So like right before school we started like dating like serious. Then even better he told me a couple of weeks into school that he'd gotten a job in Hogsmead."

Parvati stopped and smiled over at Hermione. "Promise you won't like deduct points from our house..."

"For what?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Every night I always'll sneak out and go to Hogsmead to see him-"

"I figured that." Hermione nodded. Parvati didn't have to worry, Hermione was guilty of something similar.

"-and so that's about it. He loves me, and I love him and if everyone could see what a great guy he is they would let us be. I mean Padma told mom and Lavender won't even talk to me. Talking about I've changed. Bullshit right Granger?"

"Well...a bit..but-" Hermione was about to tell her that she shouldn't be leaving every night like that. Not only because it was wrong but because there were all kinds of _animals_ around... "Maybe you can show them on our upcoming Hogsmead trip."

"Maybe _not_. I'm through with them. All I need is love." she got up and patted Hermione on the head. "Right, Granger?"

All you need is love. Was that love? Changing so that a person would like you? What kind of love made your friends leave you? If your friends loved you they would stay no matter what. If your love loved you they'd tell you to never change the way you are. Right? Or maybe love was just a compromise: give and take. What was this she'd been feeling up until now about Ri-

"Granger?"

Hermione blinked. "Yeah, love is great. Your friends will come back if they are real and I'm sure your sister is just worried about you." she vaguely wondered how old her boyfriend was. Surely he wasn't centuries old like-

"Oh and when you gonna let me meet your man? This Richard person Ginny was telling everyone about. No one seems to know who he is"

Hermione laughed uncomfortably. "Yeah..um..Ginny just made that up. I don't have anyone."

_Lies. You belong to me._

She watched Parvati go and shook her head. She turned back to her work and began writing again.

----

Slowly the sun began to set and darkness began to shroud the players in it's shadow. Hermione put up her books and wrapped her cloak tightly around herself, there was an abnormal chill in the air. The darker it got and the higher the full moon rose into the air, the more apprehensive Hermione became.

_Fear me. Love me. What is the difference?_

"Man we can't even see our feet! Let's call it a night." one of the players complained loudly to Harry.

"Yeah we're freezing our balls off!" another said.

"Except Ron." Ginny chuckled darkly. " He lost his when he became a pansy. He sucks." Ginny's harsh voice rang out. Everyone laughed.

"Grow up Ginny." Ron shot, hovering near his sister. Hermione watched them sadly. Sister and brother, torn. Because of what? Love?

_Love is hating Miss Hermione. How can one love someone if they do not hate themselves? You would do well to remember that._

"Why don't you shut the fuck up talking to me eh?" Ginny shot back heatedly.

Instigative sounds rang through the team. Ginny flew into Ron's face, practically threatening him to say something. Harry quickly flew between the two.

"Okay okay okay! We'll finish practice tomorrow alright." Harry said hastily.

Everyone landed and headed for the locker rooms, leaving Hermione outside in the cold stands alone. She checked her watch and waited. She trembled in the cold and hugged herself.

Was this love? Being afraid to be alone at any part of the day or night?

The brunette girl stood quickly after hearing a creak on the bleachers and rushed down to the boy's locker room to wait on Ron.

She watched Ginny leave the Girl's locker room across from the boy's. Ginny looked her way, their eyes connected for a second. Hermione opened her mouth to say something. Anything.

"Save it Granger." Ginny scoffed and held her dark cloak closed.

"Ginny..."

The firery red head turned on her heel and walked away. Dang it. All she wanted to do was tell her that she was sorry. She would set her down and explain it all to her.

_Love needs no apology Miss Hermione. She will suffer._

"Hey Granger." a voice said. Hermione looked around. It was the two new beaters, their names always eluded her.

"Hello." she gave them polite smiles.

"Waiting for Weasely?" one of them said.

"Yeah..."

"Go ahead inside, it's cold out here, he's running around looking for something, he'll be a while.- oh hey captain." they turned to see Harry come out looking very tired.

"Hey." he said pushing past them, but not without a glance in Hermione's direction first.

"Wait up Captin!" the two jogged after him.

Hermione sighed and crossed her arms.

"'Mione that's you out there?" Ron's voice came from the open locker room door.

"Yes, Ron." Hermione said. "What are you doing?"

"I lost something." he said. "Help me find it."

Hermione rolled her eyes and entered locker room, the temperature was a nice change from the chilly weather outside, though a chill stayed in her spine that she knew she wouldn't be able to shake.

There he was Ron Weasely, her friend. Standing there...half naked. Hermione stopped short and her eyes almost had a mind of their own. She stared. Ron was ..shirtless. His tall lanky athletic frame complimented toned abs and muscles that gave way to a narrow waist. His skin was so tanned...and looked so...he definitely wasn't a boy anymore. This was an attractive young man.

"Hermione?" Ron blinked tucking his wet stringy red shoulder length hair behind his ears, it had the faint smell of soap.

Heat rushed to her face, she adverted her eyes and stared at the floor. She tried to shake the feeling...he was her _friend._

"Yeah um...what did you lose?" Hermione suddenly felt uncomfortable being alone in the boy's locker room with a half-naked Ron Weasely.

"My shirt." Ron said, he crawled around looking for it like a spider.

Hermione let out a small 'oh' and stood there like a vegetable, her eyes landed on a dark green shirt folded neatly on top of a locker. "Um...Ron..."

"Yeah?" he stood up and followed her eyes. "Oh...haha." he chuckled. "I forgot.."

Hermione watched him retrieve the shirt and slide if over his upper body. "Why didn't you just...get a different shirt? What's so important about it? Being sentimental are we? What did Fred give you that shirt after beating you up, initiating you as a Weasely Brother or something?" she chuckled at her stupid joke.

Something fell from the shirt and the red head quickly picked it up before she could see what it was. "Something very important." was his vague reply.

-----

Hermione and Ron crunched silently through the snow. The trees sparkled like diamonds as fresh snow dangled on their leaves, the sky seemed a deep purple and many stars dotted it, a thick white blanket of snow covered the ground. The girl's brown eyes swiveled over to the person beside her. Ron's still damp hair brushed his shoulders, his green eyes were staring up at the sky, and a frown was upon his face. She wondered what he was thinking about.

"Hey Ron?" she blinked up at her tall friend.

"Yeah?" he said still looking up at the sky as they walked, he seemed..preoccupied by the _moon_.

"What is your take on love?"

Ron looked down at her with a strange expression on his face. "Huh?"

"I mean how real is the illogical thing? That four letter word? It is all just one word to explain an entire feeling? And that small word it can make or break a person. I mean we let love damage us, heal us, and cause us to feel like we're flying or dying. Why? And what is love anyway? Is it more than just a figment of our imagination? That intense desire to be cared for, is that pure justification for some things we do for love? Love all seems really wrong, sick, and twisted. The biggest disease of the heart, mind, and soul is love. But we all want it so badly. Is it alright to love someone with everything you have but they never even notice you? And then if people stay with someone they don't love just because they don't want to hurt that person, well isn't that a form of love because love is in all ways, a way of caring for another and if you care enough to be with that person even though you don't want to then is that not a form of love too?

I mean, is love really as hard as we make it out to be or is it simply an act of giving in or giving out? Then again if it all boils down to really nothing then why is it so important? Maybe maybe just maybe love is just a lie we make to make ourselves feel better about the lustful feelings we have for another. Maybe it's just a chemical reaction that gets us ready for mating? And if not then why does love hurt so much and all that? Why is it so damned important?"

Ron stared at her and blinked. "You've really been thinking a lot about that haven't you?" he finally spoke and sat down in the middle of the snow.

"Yeah..." Hermione muttered, plopping down in the snow next to him.

"Well Hermione..." Ron said scooping up some snow and turning it into a ball. "Do you believe in love?"

"Yes and then...no...it all seems very painful."

Ron didn't speak for a while but created multiple snow balls and then situated them in a circle. "So okay, what made you even think about love?"

Hermione sighed and lay back in the damp snow. She stared up at the wintery sky and thoughtlessly counted stars. Ron lay on his back too and began making a snow angel, spreading in legs and arms in the typical fashion.

"Well 'Mione?"

"I dunno..I guess because I see it all the time and it all seems so complicated and strange. Very illogical." she propped herself up with an elbow and watched Ron creating his snow angel.

"Love doesn't need to be logical 'Mione. That's what makes it so brilliant." came Ron's reply.

"But then it's okay if-"

Ron suddenly sat up on his elbow as well, facing her. "What is this about?" he shook the snow from his red hair.

Hermione adverted her eyes from his and stared at the snow instead. "I was just..."

"It's about _him_. I knew it, it always goes back to him." Ron sighed with frustration, crushing a snowball in his hand. "Why do you let him control your life? What do you think? _You love him?_"

"I didn't say that..." Hermione said in a low tone.

"That's not love Hermione, it's sick and twisted and fucking weird as all hell." Ron frowned at her.

"You don't understand..." Hermione sighed and stared down at the snow, she feared the look that was probably on his face.

"Oh I understand that he tried to kill me like twice, that he made you virtually lose your mind. Yeah I think I understand more than you think Hermione." Ron stared hard at her.

They were silent. Hermione lay on her back again and stared up at the sky. She didn't want this to put a stain on their newly improving friendship, but it always seemed like they would argue all the time. And recently it was always about the same subject: Richard.

"Okay Ron, so do you believe in the whole crap about being meant for someone?" she said conversationally as not to get him bent out of shape. She looked over at him, his expression had suddenly softened.

"Call me a sappy fag, but yeah, I do. But even though someone is destined for someone doesn't mean they should take it for granted because I'm sure many people have lost their soul mate because they didn't work for the relationship. Love is work too I'm sure, not just some gay ass fairytale. Nor is it complete dominance over someone. Love should be a partnership." Ron said seriously, then he laughed."Gay isn't it."

Hermione looked up at his smiling face. "So you are telling me that you of all people..believe in that whole...soul mate stuff?"

Ron nodded down at her. "Definitely. Let me repeat it for ya, listen good." he moved closer down to her face. "I totally am a sap."

"So...you believe that everyone is made for someone?" Hermione sat up slightly, thus closing the space between their faces a little more.

"Definitely. Everyone." he said softly. Hermione seemed to get lost into those green eyes, they were so beautiful...

"And you believe in true love?"

"Yep, all of that." he smiled at her. Their faces moved closer. The tips of their fingers touched sending a numbing electricity through their hands.

Ron tilted her face up...they looked into each other's eyes...their noses touched...

The Grey clouds moved to reveal a brilliantly bright full moon directly shining on Hermione. She stared at the moon her eyes wide. Ron blinked too as the moon glared into his eyes, momentarily blinding him.

"The closer one gets to the light...the larger their shadow becomes..." Hermione muttered while standing and dusting the snow from her robes.

"Huh?"" Ron coughed and stood as well. "What are you talking about?" he came up beside her and stared up at the moon. It was so beautiful yet it seemed so dangerous.

"The closer one gets to the light..."

"The larger their shadow becomes?" Ron looked behind himself at his shadow that was now stretched across the snow. "O...kay.?"

"We should be going back inside. It is not safe here." she began walking toward the school quickly, Ron sprinted after her.

----

When they entered the school Hermione felt a little better but not by much. She could not shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

_You always had such great intuition, Miss Hermione. _

"Hermione? Did you find anything else out about Richard?" Ron asked. Secretly he mentally punched himself for bringing up the subject...but it was the first thing that had come to his mind. Anything to clear the tension in the air.

"No" Hermione muttered.

They walked through the entrance hall and up the stairs, their feet that was echoing down the empty halls led them down the familiar path. Though it was quite dark inside the castle...perhaps because all the candles had burned out. How late was it anyway?

"You know, we're going to get it from Magonagal , we ain't patrolled in like a month. Ron laughed as he turned them down a semi-dark corridor.

"Perhaps...but it all is probably nothing. People don't even want to be out." Hermione said.

"Other than Patil, I saw her the other day. When I was leaving practice that is, I hear she's a lesbian." Ron yawned loudly. That's when she heard it.

"Shh..did you hear that?" she said hoarsely holding out an arm to stop Ron's movement.

"Hear what?" Ron whispered anxiously. They stood in dark silence.

Hermione strained her ears, she could hear faint scraping of claws on the thick carpet and deep animal- like breathing, that carried a familiar hollow sound she'd heard before. She silently slid her hand over Ron's and held it. The sound came closer.

"Run.._now_." Hermione said through clenched teeth, she pulled Ron and began running down the dark corridor. She didn't know where they were going but as long as it was far from the beast in the hall it was fine.

"Why are we running?!" Ron shouted through tense exhalation as he tried to keep up with her.

"Just run!" Hermione shouted back at him, she turned down another corridor that was slightly lit. Ron skidded to a halt and leaned against a wall to catch his breath.

"Why are we running again?"

Hermione didn't speak, she felt cold, the color drained from her face. There was something in this corridor with them ..and it was directly behind Ron.

There it was, she'd been dreading this for days. A large black werewolf with wild silver eyes shaped like slits, sharp extended claws, and it's teeth were bared and pearly white. They were sharp and dangerous, not yet stained with blood but Hermione feared it soon would be.

"Hermione? What is it?" Ron blinked. Hermione didn't speak, she just stared past him unable to move. The hairs on Ron's neck stood on end. He slowly turned his head to see what she was staring at. "Oh shit!"

The creature grabbed for Ron but he skirted out of it's path and began to run flat out, grabbing Hermione's arm as he ran past her. "MOVE YOUR LEGS WOMAN!" he screamed at her, her body was slowing him down.

Hermione looked behind her, the sight of the creature chasing them was good enough for her, she forced her legs to move and sped up.

They ran from corridor to corridor, the creature always only a misstep behind them. Their hearts raced, adrenaline pumped through their legs making them run faster than they ever thought possible. Thoughts rushed through Hermione's head as they ran. Why was this happening? Was this Richard? What was going to happen to them? What if he caught them?

Hermione turned sharply down a dark corridor. That's when she lost Ron. She saw a streak of red hair run past her and then the large beast. She stopped to catch her breath, she was sure Ron could handle himself. Right? No wait this was her friend, she had to help him. She pulled out her wand and peered slowly around the corner.

Nothing. Pure silence..and that in itself frightened her more than anything. She slipped out into the hall half expecting to be attacked or to see Ron's mangled corpse as she'd seen Ginny's in her dream.

Trembling from head to toe she walked a few inches. She began to walk down the corridor whispering Ron's name.

"Ah!" she was slammed into the ground by a heavy force. Her wand was flung from her hand and rolled a few centimeters in front of her. She felt a thick hot liquid stream down her face. Hot breath was on her neck and she could hear a low animal growling near her ear. It's sharp nails scraping the surface of her skin through her shirt. Oh no, this could not be happening to her. "Richard...please... don't hurt me..." she whispered, her voice trembling.

"GET OFF OF HERYOU CRAZY ASS MOTHER FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!"

Suddenly the heavy weight was lifted off her, as the creature jumped off her and ran toward the speaker. It was Ron. Hermione stumbled up and scrambled for her wand. She pointed her wand at the creature as it ran for her best friend, but she could not bring herself to cast a spell upon it.

She watched helplessly as the werewolf chased him down another hall. For a split second Ron looked back at her with what could not be seen as anything else but a hurt expression, hurt maybe that she did not try to help him.

There was a pained scream. Her blood ran cold.

"Ron!" she shouted weakly running toward where the scream had been.

There was Ron holding his leg sitting on the floor, he was bleeding. He looked up at her, his face screwed up in a pained frown. The werewolf was nowhere to be found.

"Where did it go?" she asked looking around, holding on tightly to her wand.

Ron stared at her but did not speak, it was almost as if he could not believe what he was seeing. She had not asked him if he was alright..yet she asked where Richard was. He had just risked his life for her and she...no this was not the time for that. They were both in danger.

"I blasted its stupid ass with some spell, it rolled off somewhere, the light from my damn spell kinda blinded me." he grunted in pain.

"Are you okay?" she asked coming toward him.

Oh and now she asks...

"Why would you care?" he frowned and tried to stand up on his on. He screamed out in pain and almost fell but Hermione caught him and supported him against her.

"Because I'm your friend Ron." she said with gritted teeth. He was heavier than he looked. "Where did he hurt you?"

"My fucking ankle, you'd think that shit would be obvious since I'm bleeding all over the damn place." Ron said through his teeth.

"Let me heal it." Hermione said ignoring his constant swearing, she knew if that had happened to her she'd be cursing too. She sat him down as gently as possible on the ground and moved his hand from his wound. She recoiled. He had a bloody gash on his ankle and it seemed as if it would never stop bleeding. She knew that werewolf wounds were hard to cure from previous experience with Ron's brother Bill. She hoped it would not have any side effects.

"Like hell you will, if your ass would have helped in the first damn place this shit wouldn't have happened now would it? Always following up after that deranged bitch ass psychopathic fool.." Ron glared up at her.

"I was trying to help-"

"The hell you were." Ron said bitterly and looked down at his angry wound."Stupid shit."

Hermione blinked back tears and pointed her wand at his wound. "curenos" she muttered. A whiteish blue light shot from her wand and encircled his bleeding wound. She held her wand as steady as possible as it stitched up the wound and the blood flow stopped. Then it was done.

"There." she said. "We need to get back to the common room before he comes back. Lord knows where we are.." she said turning her face away for a moment and wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

Damn it, he did it again. Made her cry..maybe she was crying because of the situation but he knew he had something to do with it. He just knew it, he always made her cry. He hated that, why oh why must he make her cry when he cared so much about her?

"Hermione.." Ron said, he trailed off and touched her shoulder. She looked back at him, her eyes full of tears.

"Let's go." she said putting his arm around her shoulder and standing up slowly while trying to balance his weight. "That spell won't last, you need madam Pomfrey's magic. We don't want that wound reopening while we are down in who knows where." she said determinedly.

They stepped out of the hallway slowly and looked around. It was empty. They looked around again to try and figure out where they were, they had to get out of here soon.

"Oh..I know where we are..I went down here once with Fred, George, and Angelina."Ron said, his words barely audible. He was feeling apprehensive and very guilty at the same time.

For once his brother's and his brother's friend's badness paid off. Hermione thought trying to make her self feel light emotionally so this ordeal would not get to her. What if they didn't even make it though? What then? Would she be forced to haunt the lower levels of Hogwarts with Ron while everyone else's lives went on? Was that how Richard felt?

Ron muttered directions to her and she followed them silently and quickly. Once she took a wrong turn and Ron tried his best not to fly off the handle and make her cry again, but it was useless. All he did was sigh with frustration and fresh tears rolled down her face.

They finally had reached an area they were both familiar with that Hermione knew was only a few corridors from their common room.

"Maybe we'll make it after all.." Hermione muttered..

Suddenly a large shape came barreling out of nowhere toward them. Hermione tightened her grip on Ron and began to run/hobble down the hall. The growling was loud behind her head and the werewolf's claws scratched for their legs angrily. Hermione prayed in her mind that they would make it, that this would not end like it did for Abigail. Ron's wound was beginning to open up again, blood dripped behind them, increasing the monster's lust for it as it became even more violent in it's pursuit.

She turned a sharp corner and came right up on the portrait hole of the fat lady who was sound asleep.

"Excuse me. Pardon me." Hermione said anxiously to the fat lady's sleeping frame.

The creature was coming fast toward them.

"Please wake up." she whimpered glancing down the hall, sweat droplets forming on her face.

It was advancing on them. Eyes glowing angrily, blood on it's claws staining the carpet.

"Please miss wake up we need to get in" Hermione practically begged. Ron once again sighed in frustration.

" GET YOUR FAT ASS UP! WE'RE ABOUT TO DIE GOT DAMN IT!" Ron shouted aggressively and loudly, his voice echoing down the hall. Hermione jumped slightly from the sound of his voice.

The fat lady woke with a start and looked at them as if she'd been scandalized.

The beast was very much close to them now. Hermione could practically see the evil smile on it's horrible face.

"How dare you? Hmph-"

"WE DON'T GIVE A FLYING RATS ASS ABOUT YOUR DAMN FEELINGS. OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR DAMN IT BEFORE WE'RE SHITTY BLOOD PUDDLES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GRYIFFINDOR TOWER!" Ron barked.

The fat lady seemed as if she wanted to add something else but she didn't. Instead she said with dignity.

"Password?"

"Sombra Slumber!" Hermione squeaked. The portrait hole swung open. Hermione dragged them both inside with speed she didn't know she had and slammed the door.

They lay on the ground near the portrait hole breathing hard. They could hear the vicious scratching outside, only inches away from them, the only thing protecting was the portrait and the walls. How strong was a werewolf anyway?

It stopped.

"We need to get you to Madam Pomfrey." Hermione muttered looking at Ron's opening wound.

"Like hell we will. Mend it back up and I'll go in the morning Hermione." Ron said forcefully. It was clear he was very angry. With her? With Richard? With himself?

Hermione obeyed, she silently fixed the wound once more with her weak medical magic. "Can you make it up stairs?" she asked quietly.

"I'm pretty sure I can. You've helped enough." he said harshly and stood without her support though it was obvious his weight was applying painful pressure to his wounded leg.

Hermione nodded and blinked back tears. "Okay well.." she trailed off and began her way to the girl's staircase as he limped to the boy's. "Thank you for helping me." she said watching him walk up the staircase, she was already at the door of the girl's dormitories.

Ron looked up at her, his eyes told her that he wanted to say more, but they both knew that his feelings and ego would not let him. "Whatever." he grunted.

She nodded again and went inside the dormitory.

--

Hermione lay in her bed wide awake thinking about that nights events, how everything had went from such fun to being a nightmare. Love really did make people do crazy things. Love made people cry. Love made people risk their lives for another. Love made people lose their minds to darkness. She sighed and rolled over on her side and stared at the full moon outside her window. It cast shadows on the walls and light on her and her roomates. She listened to their gentle peaceful breathing. She wished she could be like them for once, without a care in the world except for the normal things like school and boys and maybe what dress to where for a party.

The more she stared at the moon the more she wondered when he'd strike again and who. She wanted to reach Richard and make him all better like a simple medicine. Was that stupid? Was that love? He had tried to kill them tonight but ...she couldn't blame him even now, why? Her mind was riddled with questions, mainly..what did that dream mean and why did she feel like it may be coming true before she knew it?

Slowly as daylight began to come she drifted into an uncomfortable sleep.

------

**A/N: Well okay... hmmmm...forshadowing? I think so. Anyway the title of this chapter deserves some credit to the girl who came up with it, there is a Final Fantasy 12 story I read called _Under the Shadows of the Moon _by Larsa's Penelo. I like the title so I used it for this chapter, I think it's fitting anyway. Oh and also DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!! How else will I know what you think**

**My new title ideas:**

_**1.The Love of a Shadow**_

_**2.A Shadow's Requiem**_

_**3.The Hate of a Shadow(see the pattern?)**_

_**4. Lacrymosa (eh...I dunno...about that see I was going to use that title for something else...)**_

**See! I'm struggling here! Help me!!! Whoever gives me a title that I like will get credit for it and I will be forever (not) in your debt. Or whoever helps me decide on a title also will be credited and I will ..give you cookies or something. Vote on which one you think is best or like I said..give me a title you would like me to use that you came up with and If I like it I will take it, change the title , and give you credit and even advertise your own stories in my author notes if you would like me to. I just like totally want to change the title! Okay this is the longest Author Note I've written O.o Don't forget you must read and review or yeah...you get the picture. I may be updating again soon. **


	16. Darkness Falls

_**A/N: Alright as of now, the title of the story has officially been changed from **_**The Phantom of Hogwarts ****_to _A Shadow's Requiem _even though the votes ended up in an tie..because only two people voted or three or something I dunno lol. So I had to choose, and when I think about it I think the title fits because of what Requiem means. If you don't know what it means I suggest looking it up on Wikipedia. Now then on with the story :) I am such a wiener..ooh I want a hot dog..._**

**Chapter 16**

_Darkness Falls_

The cool night air blasted into Ginny's face as she opened the heavy wood door of the Girl's locker room. Perfect, the others had left, she hadn't wanted to be seen by her brother who had suddenly become interested in her whereabouts.

She placed her cloak's hood over her red hair and inclining her face against the chilled air, she slung her broom over her shoulder. The first thing Ginny noticed when she stepped onto the icy foot worn path towards Hogwarts school's main building, was that there was a full moon out.

"Always liked full moons" Ginny muttered looking up at the sky.

Her eyes landed on Hagrid's lone hut near the edge of the forbidden forest. His curtains were down and smoke came from the tiny chimney.

Suddenly her blood ran cold as ice. There was something in the forest...looking at her-she didn't see anything but she felt it. Someone or something was in that forest looking back at her.

"Hello?" she whispered walking toward the clump of forest near Hagrid's house. With each step she wished Harry was out there with her.

"Hellooo.." she said again entering the dense area of the forest, moonlight streaming through the trees giving the forest an ominous shadowy appearance. "Damn, probably Granger pulling a prank." she grumbled.

Suddenly she was thrown from her feet and into a tree, her head slammed into a stone. Blood trickled from a gash on her head. Weakly she tried to stand. Only to be slammed onto her back, claws digging into her chest.

"Help!" she screamed flailing, but it was useless under the inhuman weight of her attacker. She screamed in agony as she felt flesh being torn from her arms, her legs being broken under the pounding..paws...she screamed and cried. What was this? Was she about to..die?

"Help!!!" Ginny cried louder as she tried to keep it's teeth from her face. She tasted blood in her through clogging her airway. The attack worsened the harder she fought. She couldn't feel her limbs, all she knew as that she was laying in a pool of her own blood. Darkness enveloped her eyes and all feeling ceased.

The beast stopped and looked down at the body of the ginger haired girl. It blinked its slit-like yellow eyes and grabbed her body by its hair and drug her lifeless form deep into the forest., leaving a trail of blood in it's wake.

----

Students chattered as they walked down the cobbled path toward Hogsmead. The air had a festive feel to it as most students hadn't seen Hogsmeade in a while. They walked talking happily to their friends while huddled against the cold wind in thick black Hogwarts' cloaks, wrapped in scarves, their hands covered in gloves clutching bags full of coins. It was evident most were getting ready to do holiday shopping.

"You sure it's okay for you to be walking?" Hermione asked Ron while tightening her scarf. She watched him with concern.

"Yeah I'm pretty damn sure 'Mione. Pomfrey works wonders." Ron gave her a small smile and stuffed his hands in his pockets as they followed the long line of students. "I mean I was well enough to play at practice so yeah..I'm sure walking around Hogsmead is fine."

Hermione nodded, "Alright."

She watched Ron as he talked to Dean Thomas, who, along with Seamus Finnigan, had come up on either side of the pair. He was laughing. Hermione smiled to herself, she loved to see him laugh, it made her happy. Still, his current jubilant state wasn't enough to shake the memory of the look on his face when she didn't help him to nights ago. She blamed herself for letting him get hurt and always would.

_...please...Abby...I'm sorry...don't hate me...I would never...mean to hurt you...No...I ..don't hate me...please..._

"Am I right?" Seamus nudged Ron.

"No you're an Idiot." Ron shoved him playfully.

"And you're in denial." Dean giggled. Ron grabbed at them and they skirted out of his way and down the path to the open gates of Hogsmead.

"So what are they on about?" Hermione asked as they approached the open gate, students already streaming in.

"Oh nothing." Ron said, though his cheeks were now slightly pink.

"Oh...alright." Hermione fell silent.

The two had barely even entered Hogsmead when they saw a person walking towards them.

"Hey Harry." Ron said. "We were wondering where you were."

"Yeah..hey." Harry said with a small smile. "Hey look do you know where Ginny is? She was supposed to meet me here..."

Hermine watched a couple of students walk into a shop instead of at Harry. She felt a twinge of guilt at Ginny's name. She didn't know why...she felt like something horrible had happened and it was her fault.

"No...I haven't seen her since practice...last night. She'll probably be coming." Ron shrugged.

_No she won't. You're welcome ..._

Hermione gasped and frowned. Suddenly she knew..no...she ..maybe..she wasn't just being paranoid.

_Are you not pleased?I did it...for you...  
_"Shut up!" Hermione said through clenched teeth, her head throbbing painfully.

"Hermione you okay?" Ron looked over at her with a frown, his green eyes laced with concern. Harry was watching her silently. A few nearby students had stopped to see what was happening. Hermione's face flushed, she nodded.

"Yeah..I'm fine...my head...um..it's hurting...and um..the noise..."

Ron stared hard at her, he knew there was something she was not telling him. "Hermione..." he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Is it _him_" he muttered turning her around to their eyes would meet.

Harry grew uncomfortable and knew he wasn't wanted around and therefore, left without a word.

Hermione adverted her eyes and hung her head, her bushy brown hair falling around her face. "No, Ron really I'm fine."

Ron grunted in irritation, he tiled her face up with his hand. "I didn't ask you if you was fine. I asked if it was _him." _

"_Him" isn't my name you simpled minded little..._

"Hermione Look at me. You're not telling me something." Ron frowned.

"C'mon Ron,"Hermione moved from his reach and turned back toward Hogsmead. "Lets go there's loads to do." she waved her hand at the many buildings and people. "and so little time."

_So...little...you are very correct..._

Ron sighed in defeat, he knew he wasn't getting much out of her. Besides, they hadn't come to Hogsmeade to discuss that psychopathic son of a bitch nor did they come to argue. He'd come to get some jokes, candy, and maybe get the stone in this thing in his pocket resized. He wanted it to be perfect...

"Yeah alright fine." Ron said finally to Hermione.

Hogsmeade was busy as usual, children running around, people walking and laughing while clutching bags. The smells from near by restaurants mixing...gingerbread and cinnamon from the bakery, spices and seasonings from a nearby sausage dealer, all merging to create a delightfully tangy scent in the air. The picturesque buildings with slanted roofs covered in snow gave the appearance of gingerbread houses. Snow gently falling finishing the atmosphere that made them feel like they were in a snow globe.

Ron pulled Hermione's hand toward Honeyduke's candy store, she looked across the busy square longingly toward Flourish and Blotts before being tugged into the candy store.

A sweet delicious smell delighted Hermione's nose. An assortment of chocolates were on display in the window: milk chocolate daffodils;coconut covered chocolate frogs; large three-layer cakes covered in vanilla, fudge, strawberry, lemon, and orange icings, almond covered in thick fudge sitting in red Christmas tins...and many other things.

"It all looks so yummy." a little black girl standing behind her commented as she eyed some white chocolate turtles longingly.

"Yes it does doesn't it." Hermione smiled down at the cute little girl. The child nodded, her deep brown eyes widening as they landed on a new cake and employee was putting on display. It was one of the biggest chocolate cakes, decorated in vanilla strips with caramel oozing from it's layers.

"Ooh.." the girl and Hermione both breathed. The little girl giggled and smiled up at Hermione, who grinned when she saw the girl had recently lost two teeth.

"I am so going to buy some." Hermione chuckled. "What are you going to buy?"

The little girl blinked her thick eyelashes and played with her curly brown hair. "I don't have money."

Hermione looked over the little girl's appearance. She was in a little red velvet dress, white stockings, and tiny black shoes. A little red beret sat snuggly on her head and she was wearing a cute fur coat. Hermione raised an eyebrow, this little girl _had_ to have money.

"Well..uh what's your name?" Hermione said stooping down to the girl's level.

"Kandice." the girl said shyly putting her hands behind her back and rocking from side to side.

"Well..Kandice...ask your mum for some so we can both get some of this yummy candy." Hermione eyed some small chocolate kisses.

"Mummy is out shopping..Kandice left for pretty display." the little girl said. Ahh..in other words she slipped away and her poor mum is probably out looking for her.

"Okay pick whatever you want, I'll buy it for you." Hermione smiled little children were her weak spot. The little girl's eyes lit up.

"Really?!" she beamed. Hermione nodded. Kandice flung her little arms around Hermione's neck and squeezed happily. "Thank wee!" she pressed her little lips to Hermione's cheek.

Hermione watched silently as the little girl contemplated on what she wanted. A warm bubbly feeling erupted in her.

"You wan kids in the future?" a customer chuckled, it was a old Asian woman about leave.

"Dozens." came Hermione's declaration that rang over the entire store.

Something crashed near the center of the shop. It was Ron. "DOZENS?!" he gasped while struggling to stand a hard candy stand back up. His arms were full of sweets.

"Definitely." Hermione laughed and turned back to Kandice. The girl had finally chosen some white fudge, caramel filled doves.

"Can I get these?" she pointed at them.

"Of course."Hermione smiled down at her.

An employee filled a white wax paper bag with the bite sized candy and tied it with a red ribbon. Hermione led the girl to the counter and shelled out the galleons that it cost. She got a box of these same chocolates for herself.

"Oh thanksie!" the little girl hopped happily. By this time Ron was also at the counter, he was leaning on it casually and watching them while his stuff was being rang up.

"Tsk tsk tsk" Ron shook his head comically.

"Who?" Hermione blinked while watching the little girl dance around her happily singing 'thank you'.

"You are a sap."

_So Benevolent. That's what makes you perfect..._

The bell chimed as the shop door opened and a tall beautiful black woman entered, she seemed to be looking for someone.

"She's hot." Ron commented under his breath.

"Boys..." Hermione muttered, adjusting her box of chocolates.

"Mommy!" the little girl ran over to the woman. The woman scooped her up. "Look what the nice lady brought for me!!!" she wagged the bag in her mother's face. Her mom's eyes swiveled over to Hermione. She walked over to her, heels clacking across the tile black and white floor.

"I'm sorry, my little girl...ha...well how much was it?" the woman sat Kandice on the counter and began unzipping her purse.

"Oh no, ma'am, it's nothing. It was my pleasure to make her day." Hermione smiled. The woman zipped up her purse. "Well alright. Thank you for watching her."

"It's no problem."

Kandice giggled and undid her ribbon on her chocolates and pulled one out and sampled it. "Ooh mum, it's yummylicous."

"Come dear, we've got to catch the train." the woman told Hermione a swift thank you and cooped up her daughter and left.

Hermione grinned and waved at the little girl as they passed by the large glass display window.

"Dude! Oh man! Let's go to Kay Jewelers before it closes. It's going to be getting dark soon." Ron said suddenly, he grabbed Hermione around the wrist and pulled her from the shop, their bags slapping their legs as he walked them quickly down the road through throngs of students.

-----

A gold circular service desk sat in the middle of the room, its color set off by a deep red rug laid about the floor. Around the store were many different jewels, necklaces and rings, pendants, lockets, bracelets, and other things nestled on mannequins and inside glass cases. On the back wall in curly gold letters was the words:

_**Kay Jewelers**_

_Every kiss begins with Kay_

_**Since 1702**_

Hermione vaguely wondered if Richard had ever went here.

_You are always thinking of me...opening your mind more each time..._

"I won't be long." Ron said walking toward the counter. "Look around or something, then we'll go to your bookstore."

Hermione watched her red haired friend talk animatedly to the old man at the counter. What possibly could Ron be talking about? Twice the jeweler and Ron looked over at her.

She spotted some _forever- shine diamonds_ near a display of heart shaped lockets.

_My love will always shine for you forever..._

"Planning to buy a keepsake for you or someone you care for miss?" a sleek handsome young jeweler said. He was wearing a black suit that complimented his tallish lanky yet fit build, his vest open showing a white dress shirt. His hair was jet black but highlighted with a slight dirty blond and was slicked back into a ponytail that reached far past his back. He had lovely almond shaped dark turbulent blue eyes and light tan skin. Hermione glanced over her shoulder, Ron was still busy.

"Ahh I see." the guy said giving her a knowing look. "How about a silver heart locket? You can engrave it and maybe put a stone in it...I'm sure he'll like it."

"Who? Him?" Hermione glanced back at Ron. The sales guy went behind the glass counter and pulled out an assortment of lockets on black velvet and some stones.

"Yeah, who else?" the guy leaned casually on the counter and looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I...he's a friend..." she blushed.

"Alright well you could get your _friend_ something." he flashed her a pearly smile. Hermione giggled.

"Alright."

Hermione looked up over the lockets and quickly came to the decision to buy a small delicate heart shaped silver one with a gold trim. It had six holes around the edges and one hole in the middle, these would hold the stones or diamonds.

"Good choice. This is from the popular _forget-me-not_ line. We to make charm bracelets in this line too...they are great...I recently got one for my girl."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, each stone is supposed to symbolize something. Usually people let it symbolize the amount of time you've known someone who you care very deeply for." he said.

"Yeah...I chose seven because I've known him seven years.." she blushed involuntarily.

Next, he showed her stones. Amethyst ones with hints of ice- the called them "Forever-Frozen Rhapsody", deep black ones that turned red when light hit them-"Bleeding Shadow" and many other cool ones but there was one that stuck with her as soon as she saw It was a green "forever-shine" diamond that seemed to have a fire burning deep within them.

"Ah, yeah those are called 'passion of envy'. So what's your reason for choosing them?" he looked intently at her. Hermione blushed and looked over at Ron, he was watching his jeweler, the old man, do something.

"His eyes...they make me think of them..."

"Of all that passion and fire behind his eyes? Green flames of envy when another male looks at your pretty face? Flames of longing when he wants to kiss his best friend but..he pulls away fearing what such a gesture would mean? Flames of anger when he makes you cry? Something like that?"

Hermione blushed deeply, she knew she must be practically generating heat. "Yeah...I guess..." she blushed more, she had never thought of it like that.

"Now what about a chain and an engraving?" he grinned at her juvenile response to his speech.

"Um...that delicate silver chain.." she pointed, "But I'm lost as to what to engrave in it. Any suggestions?"

"Ah I've got suggestions princess." the guy said while getting the chain. Then he turned the newly jewel encrusted locket on it's face. "Look at it and see if you can see the words that you would love to be on the back of it."

Hermione stared at the back of the shiny silver locket and vaguely wondered what Ron would put in it for a picture.

"Alright..."

"You make me feel like flying." he suggested with a grin. Hermione laughed ands shook her head, definitely not that one.

"Your eyes. They burn with resolve. Beautiful."

They went through many quotes and impromptu saying before deciding on one"

"I love it when you make me laugh. I hate it when you make me cry. I love you and forever my love will shine brighter than the moon. I love you for being there and being my friend first."

-Hermione

"Wow" Hermione stared in awe at the curly engraving that had just been magicked into the back of the locket. "That was really..." she handed the beautiful locket to him and watched him put it in a small blue velvet box and wrap it in gold ribbon.

"Yeah thanks, I'm a poet. I get that a lot." he handed her the box. "That'll be 200 galleons-special discount." he said.

"For what?" Hermione asked while unzipping her tiny money bag-a purse- and pulling out the amount.

"Because you're pretty." he said looking at her coyly with a slight grin. Hermione blushed and looked down at her box. "Oh c'mon you are. Nothing wrong with natural beauty. All that makeup is dumb anyway." he said leaning on the counter, "I wish my girlfriend would see that." he added with an afterthought.

Hermione looked over at Ron, he was watching the old man do something. She turned back to the handsome sales guy. "So you're a poet..."

"Yeppers." he said, he began putting up the jewelry. "I work here while waiting to sell my poetry and songs. Pretty neat eh?"

Hermione nodded, she'd always wondered what it'd be like to live freelance. But she'd never find out because she needed security. "how old are you um...oh I don't even know your name. How sad no?"

"I'm twenty-two, the name is-" he pointed at his employee tag. "call me Zane." he said.

"Oh...well I'm Hermione." she said. He nodded but he was looking out of the window in front of the shop. There was Parvati coming toward the shop with a frown, her cheeks red from the cold.

Parvati came into the shop and spotted the two quickly. She walked over with an rushed air about her.

"Something terrible..bad has happened." she stated while wringing her hands.

"Huh?" Hermione blinked. She watched in slight surprise as Zane came from behind the counter to Parvati and took her frail hands in his. He looked in her eyes, they were laced with concern.

"What happened, baby?"

_Baby?_ So _this_ was Parvati's...boyfriend? Hermione watched silently still trying to figure out what her fellow Gryffindor was talking about. His whole demeanor had changed, it was clear he cared about her.

"Something bad happened." Parvati's voice was high pitched.

"What happened?" Hermione was becoming worried.

_I did it for you..._

Parvati was beginning to tear up. Zane brushed her snow covered hair back, face laced with deep concern.

"Granger, I came to tell you guys, they need all the head girls and boys to come to the gate and round up their houses because we have to leave..." Parvati looked at Hermione, as did Zane. She was feeling very apprehensive, never had a Hogsmeade weekend been cut short . What possibly could have happened?

"Okay, what happened?" she gathered her purchased items and looked over at Ron, he was still at the counter, the old man was handing him something in a box similar to Hermione's.

"I'm not sure..." the tears seemed ready to fall in Parvati's eyes. "I heard a girl was killed by a rampaging centaur in the Forbidden Forest and...I don't know where Padma is , I haven't...seen her." the tears began falling. "What if she's..."

Zane pulled Parvati to him and allowed her to sob on his chest. Her muffled cries of 'she didn't get to say goodbye' was the only thing that could be heard.

"What's going on?"

Ron had finally joined the group. He was watching the scene in confusion.

"We have to go, the head prefects are needed. Something happened and they are about to close our trip down an hour early" Hermione explained. Ron nodded as most of it sank in.

"Parvati, love, c'mon, it'll me alright, I"m sure you're overreacting. You'd better go, I don't want you to get in trouble." Zane said softly to the crying girl, Parvati looked up at him with worried eyes.

"You think so?"

Ron nudged Hermione and mouthed, "That's him?"

She rolled her eyes and nodded. So insensitive...

"Yeah come on." her faithful boyfriend said walking her to the door, Hermione and Ron followed. At the door Ron stepped out while Hermione held the door open and watched the couple talk.

"Tell me what happens okay? It'll be fine." Zane said holding her and then letting her go.

"But..I..hope so.." Parvati looked up at him uninsured, her lip trembling.

"Bye Parvati. I love you." he leaned down and kissed her gently. Then he used his thumb to brush her tears away. Hermione smiled to herself.

Parvati looked pleased at Hermione as she walked past her to stand by an impatient Ron. She was about to walk out as well but Zane stopped her.

"Granger...Hermione." he called, she turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Watch her alright? Make sure she's fine.." he patted her shoulder and then added. "Small world isn't it...you a prefect ..tsk tsk tsk."

She chuckled.

The students were rounded up by the prefects and escorted quickly to Hogwarts. Hagrid said something about getting there before nightfall. Before the full moon.

----

Hundreds of students sat in the great hall whispering amongst themselves as they wondered what had happened. Hermione stayed silent and concentrated on the high table. Many of the teachers had filed in and were sitting, and looking grave. The Headmistress, Professor Magonagal hadn't come yet.

_I did if for you...aren't you happy?_

A hush fell over the Great hall. Magonagal had come to the High table, in the middle where Dumbledore once stood. She peered at every face of each student over her glasses, her beady eyes almost looking hard for something. Her eyes lingered quite a while on Hermione until the girl looked away. Even longer still on Ron. Finally she spoke.

"I will not keep you waiting any longer. I shall be brief for it is not safe to walk the halls of Hogwarts tonight."

A ripple of scattered speech went through the students. Magonagal cleared her throat, they fell silent.

"A student is missing. We do not wish to alarm, but an eye witness account- a portrait- witnessed a werewolf in the school."

There was an instant uproar. The sound of talking was like a dull buzzing in Hermione's ears. There was an instant hiss of Lupin being the werewolf. That the student was a gay lover of his and he killed them in a rage. Ridiculous stuff like that and other things made Hermione feel like getting up and shouting the truth at the top of her lungs.

"We need your attention." Flitwick's voice surprised everyone, they all fell silent once again.

"This is why we have shut entrance or exit off. No one may enter or leave the building after four in the afternoon. At all times of the day you must be in no groups smaller than two. Except for quidditch practice no one shall be allowed outside past the front lawn. No one is to walk the halls unless attending class or lunch until we find it.

The students began complaining. Magonagal raised a hand, they shut up.

"Furthermore, those caught out after curfew for any reason, will- if you aren't killed, for werewolves tear flesh from bone- be subject to severe punishment."

Tear flesh from bone. Hermione felt sick. Flashes of Ginny's mangled bloody corpse entered her mind. Unidentifiable...

"Prefect duties are suspended. Staff will be taking over night patrols. With that said, your food will be in your common rooms tonight. Now leave quickly, you are dismissed."

The end of Magonagal's speech was met by talking and scraping of chairs as students moved toward the exit.

"Who was it?"

"They say it was Padma"

"Probably a Hufflepuff-they're dumb" a Ravenclaw commented.

"Luna's the werewolf...look at her name..."

"Granger's my guess. Look at her hair." one laughed.

"Yeah and she's so pale these days..." another said thoughtfully glancing around.

"I wanna go home." Neville Longbottom complained to the person nearest him.

"That sick fuck has done it again." Ron said to Hermione as they followed the line out. They were stopped by Filch.

"Go to the high table. Magonagal wants a word." he grumbled.

Ron looked over at Hermione confused as the other students pushed past them. Hermione looked at the floor.

"You stay too Granger. No less than two groups." he glared at them, always in a state he was.

Silently they fought the throng of students and trotted to the high table. Magonagal was waiting silently by an open door they'd never noticed. Hermione remembered seeing Harry disappear by the high table in their fourth year but she'd never really known where they'd went. Now she knew.

The headmistress ushered them in and shut the door. The room was small and cold even though a fire roared in the fireplace. There were three large armchairs in the dimly lit room. Two facing the third, a coffee table between them with three tea cups on it. Hermione entered first and sat in one of the two chairs facing the fireplace while Ron took the other. Magonagal sat in the lone one with it's back to the fireplace.

"Weasely, I won't keep you long. Granger, you either." she said folding her hands and leaning toward them.

"Alright...what is it?" Ron blinked, Hermione watched him sadly, he was clueless about this wasn't he?

"We believe it is...Ginny..your sister who was the victim, Weasely."

Ron's green eyes widened. "What?" he said.

Hermione cringed involuntarily. It was so hard watching him find out...

_...that's what people do when they love someone..._

"She is the only student we could not find. She never returned after Quidditch practice according to Potter."

Ron didn't say anything, he couldn't. If this...he never got to say goodbye..or sorry...he'd called her a bitch...

"Professor..how can you be sure?" Hermione wanted even a shadow of doubt.

_You know you are quite glad she is gone...all for you..._

Magonagal stared beadily at Hermione for a moment. "We..found a trail of blood...a lot of it...it was definitely hers..." she said curtly.

Ron gasped. "Trail..of..." he said weakly. " Blood..?"

Hermione, without thinking, slid her hand over his comfortingly. Ron did not seem to acknowledge the gesture.

"Yes, I know this is hard to take in...we have contacted your family. We may be wrong. I hope we are..." then she added as an afterthought. "What would possess her to near the forbidden forest?"

"I ...dunno..." Ron's mouth barely moved.

They all sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Magonagal gave a few shallow words of hope and solemnly dismissed them.

---

They walked in a thick silence. Hermione hadn't released Ron's hand and was lost in guilty thoughts. She looked at him as they walked down a familiar well lit corridor to the Gryffindor tower. He looked so lost, so hurt, so unhappy. She felt so low. This was all her fault somehow. If only she had...she felt like such a hypocrite holding his hand now, when only two nights ago she'd allowed him to get hurt. Now Ginny was dead. Mangled up like her dream had shown probably. She just knew it. She'd foreseen this...Richard had told her. She was not powerless to had stopped him, but yet she did nothing. He did it for her he said. Did she really want that? Did people who loved each other do anything for someone? That didn't seem like love the more she thought about it.

"I'm going to kill that bastard." Ron said suddenly angry. Hermione looked up, his green eyes burned with passionate flames of anger, hate, sorrow and...a hint of darkness.

"Ron, you ..can't." she muttered. They had reached the portrait hole. Ron said the password savagely to the sleeping fat lady. They climbed into the portrait hole. There were a few students in there eating, most had went upstairs. As soon as they entered Ron jerked his hand away roughly.

"Why can't I?" he frowned, towering over her.

"Because-"

Ron frowned deeply. He scared her, his anger. "Because? Because you are in LOVE WITH MY SISTER'S KILLER?! IS THAT IT?!" he moved toward her, she stepped back. The students looked up and watched them. Killer? What was he talking about?

"That's ...not true." she tried not to yell at him. Not when things had gotten so good between them.

Ron stared hard at her, she stared back determined-but soon looked down guilty. He took her roughly by the shoulders, she looked up at him almost afraid of what he might say or do.

"I can't believe you Hermione." he lowered his voice but it shook with anger, his eyes burned with emotions, the most abundant being frustration and anger. "You're supposed to be my friend...but.." he let her go and walked away up the boy's staircase.

Hermione stood numb to the spot, the pressure from his hands still on her shoulders. Her eyes filled with tears. The door slammed from the boy's dormitory. She jumped. She blinked back tears and silently went to her dorm ignoring the student's questioning looks.

When she entered her dormitory, Parvati, Lavender, and her other room mates were sitting up on their beds talking and eating. Apparently they were the best of friends again it would seem.

"Granger, my sister is fine. Great isn't it?" Parvati said brightly while eating a slice of some type of meat. Lavender laughed at something another girl said.

"Yeah...great..." Hermione said quietly.

"You okay?" Lavender and Parvati said at the same time. Hermione didn't answer but slid silently into bed and lay facing the window.

Moonlight bathed her face, making her skin have a porcelain almost ghostlike glow. She stared unblinkingly at the fool moon hovering in the starless wintery sky. The girls continued talking, they were in their own little world. She longed to be happy like them. What a horrible seventh year she was having. Her eyes fogged with tears, they stung like ice as they rolled silently down her face. Her tears did not only feel like her own, but as if she was shedding them for someone else for a totally different reason. She had been feeling emotions that weren't hers again...though her head did not ache this time.

"Why did you do it..." she whispered hoarsely, the words were not her own. She closed her eyes and forced her thoughts to become blank, she did not want to think. She did not want to be inside herself because lately she did not know herself. She just wanted to drift away from all of her problems...

_You soon will understand..._

---

_**A/N: Well? **_

_**Okay as you guys see the new title is A Shadow's Requiem. **_

_**I know some of you are probably wondering why I put Magonagal as the headmistress instead of Dumbledore as the headmaster. I am following the 6th book's events slightly. That's also why Malfoy is hardly mentioned or Snape isn't even in the story. Or Harry for that matter because he's supposed to be searching for Horocruxes according to J.K. I'm telling you guys this because someone had asked in a rewview. **_

_**Now you see that cool purple button? Click it and leave a review! I love you guys and your reviews! Thanks for getting me to the first story I've written with 100 reviews! Keep on keeping on! **_

_**I'm not making any promises (because these next two chapters are really important to the story and so I may take a long time...) but I may be updating in April twice. (April isn't that far away...) So that's all and I love you all! **_

_**-Being Naughty,**_

_**Goodwitch2008**_


	17. Chain of Memories

_**Edited A/N:**_

**_At first during the Chain of Memories, for those who read the story when it was first published, you recall seeing a long line of ... to dindicate when the memory changed, but now I did away with that and just used pagebreaks, the transitions should still be obvious._**

* * *

_**Chapter 17**_

_Chain of Memories_

* * *

The rain came down in blankets, freezing and unrelenting. It had been storming all day. It was like the sky had a huge gash in it and would never heal itself.

The students were bored out of their minds, it was the last day of the weekend and they had nothing to do because of the 'rules' about going in and out of school. Only a few hours ago it was okay to leave the school during any time before four in the afternoon as long as they were with a group of at least two. Now it was not good to leave at all, except for classes outside, rumor had it that some first years had told their parents about what happened and the parents had a cow about it so the rules had to be stiffened. Besides what would they do while it was raining anyway? Well Harry had a brilliant idea: he would make the team practice in the rain harder than ever before.

Harry could be seen shouting and yelling at tired and annoyed players in the muddy, snowy, rain. Every time someone complained he got really nasty with them. Ron was being just as bad as he was, he was getting loud with the other players and throwing the Quaffle, back to someone after catching it, like he was trying to knock their heads off.

Hermione herself was in the common room trying to write an essay for three different classes about the difference between Polypips and Pichus. She didn't really care at the moment about them at all. Her quill was poised over her parchment and she was staring out of the window through the thick rain at the grounds near the lake. That lake...it brought back so many memories good and bad. She remembered when she was saved from the lake by that Bulgarian boy Viktor Krum. When did she even start liking him anyway? Sometimes she wondered if she just was with him to pass the time or cause envy in a certain red head. Another memory she found colored with happy emotions was of she and Richard at that lake talking during Autumn, which she fondly called the Indian Summer. That time seemed so far away now, when she used to believe he was just like her When she used to be his friend..what were they now? She hadn't spoken to him since that terrible night.

"_I'm not Abigail!" she'd shouted._ She shook the thought to the back of her mind. She shivered violently and noticed her quill had made a huge ink puddle on her parchment ruining her entire report. It's not like she'd written much anyway. Only a paragraph in two hours. She hadn't even noticed it had become the afternoon already, she'd been up in her room most of the morning and then she'd migrated into the common room when all her roommates came down stairs.

Parvati and Lavender were sitting near by chatting like they hadn't seen each other in days. They're incessant laughter and giggles annoyed Hermione but she ignored it because she was glad at least Parvati and Lavender were on good pages again.

" Hey Granger isn't my boyfriend hot?" Parvati said at one point when Hermione had begun to stare out of the window again. Hermione muttered a response and continued to stare out of the window, she wasn't sure what she'd said but the girls giggled from her answer.

No one was paying attention to her. She could slip out and not be noticed, she wasn't one for breaking rules but hell she'd broken so many..why would one more matter? She silently got up, leaving her work exactly where it was. She looked around the common room, no one was watching her, they were all concealed in their own conversations.

* * *

Hermione walked steadily towards the music hall, her feet carrying her swiftly down the now familiar path, sometimes she felt like she'd walked this path more than twice. She hadn't planned on going here when she first set out, she just wanted to walk alone and think with a small hope of running into Richard. What would she say to him? "I hope you haven't killed Ginny?" or "Hey how's it going?" or "So yeah I was kidding about the whole 'stay away from me you sick bastard' thing"? Well okay maybe she hadn't said it but that's probably how he took it. What could she possibly say? It would change nothing. It would make nothing right. Maybe...maybe though she could talk to him. Maybe he'd listen? She hoped he would. She _knew_ he would somehow. Perhaps it was that occulemency connection they'd had but she didn't think that was the only reason.

She'd reached the large tarnished gold French doors of the music hall, she could almost see them in their former glory gleaming proud. Students going in and out, music streaming out into the halls chattering like anyone else...she shook her head and pushed open one of the doors silently.

Hermione looked around the amazingly large music room. It was more of a concert hall or orchestra hall than a class room. The instruments stood proud in their places where they owners last had them, covered in dust and cobwebs they signified a time long past. She looked walked over to the harpist section, two harps one gold one silver. They were intricately designed, she was expecting Richard to be there playing his harp but he wasn't.

She traced her hand over the silver harp that she'd seen Richard use.

"Lovely isn't it? We were the only harpists in the class, the best."

Hermione jumped and turned around. She found her self face to face with a beautiful teenage girl with long almost floor length brown hair and piercing lavender eyes that seemed to be soft and caring yet hard and dark. She was wearing a long black Hogwarts robe that was closed over a skirt, high socks and a blouse- their uniform apparently. She had the Gryffindor crest on her robes.

"Um...I'm sorry I didn't-" Hermione stammered, she didn't know what to say or do even more so than if it had been Richard behind her. This girl was beautiful like a dove, she felt like she owed her something. The girl stared at Hermione with the same look Richard had, that look that gave a person the feeling someone was looking into their soul instead of at them.

"It is quite alright. Do you not know who I am?" the girl's voice sounded like an angel's singing, she spoke so lightly and looked like she could be blown away by the faintest wind. Hermione watched silently as the girl traced her hand over the gold harp, she suddenly felt sad.

"You're..Abigail, yeah. I know who you are um..Abigail... Rose..." Hermione put her hands behind her back slightly shy.

"Yes that is correct." Abigail traced her fingers over the harp strings one at time, a delightful yet sad tinkle emitted from the instrument. Abigail stared at her hand on the harp, her dim eyes seemed full of sadness. The girl tossed her long hair over a shoulder and suddenly Hermione wished she'd spent a little longer on the bushy mess she called hair this morning. "I have come to talk to you. I was expecting you to come...we can talk now that he is not around. He has been keeping me from you."

Hermione blinked. Who has been keeping her from Abigail? Before Hermione could form the question Abigail answered it as if she too could read Hermione's mind.

"Richard...he doesn't want me to tell you. But you must know for it may be the only way to help him...or at least I hope it will help." Abigail said staring at a beautiful silver charm bracelet on her left arm. Hermione silently counted the charms- seven. "Do you wish to listen?"

Hermione nodded silently, she wanted any way to stop what was happening. "Yes." she watched Abigail tear her eyes away from the charm bracelet and turn away from her. Abigail stared over the room with an reminiscent sigh.

"Better...I shall show you. Then only then can you understand..." Abigail said solemnly. "I will ..take you into our memories. Perhaps you will find what you need to know."

Hermione nodded, "Is this like-"

"It is very similar to the Pensieve, yes Hermione. Yet it is not. I understand you like everything explained to you in the most logical fashion Hermione Granger, but I do not have the time to explain it to you. Perhaps, because you are a smart girl, you shall figure it out ."

The way she said it, Hermione felt as if she was being ridiculed and complimented at the same time.

Abigail brushed her hand over the gold harp's strings again, a delicate tinkle echoed around the room. ……...

Hermione's surroundings began to warp and change as Abigail continued to play. Soon the high ceiling of the orchestra hall faded and in it's place was a bright blue sky with puffy clouds in it. A sky that signified spring………………………………………………………

………….There she was a young girl, of about thirteen walking briskly down a sun drenched corridor. Her extremely long brown hair flying behind her, face set. She was late, she had to get herself to her audition before it was too late. She hated to be late, her mother and father always taught her to be punctual.

"Excuse me, pardon me." She said politely as she walked past people, always so polite. Maybe that's why everyone at school liked her, people in all of the houses. She prided herself on being a 'diplomat' as her best friend Ginger liked to say.

She rushed down a flight of stairs, her step not as graceful as it usually was, and stopped at two large, golden gleaming doors. The girl looked around and saw she was the only person left. Great. Just great. The auditions were probably over. No…she heard soft harp music flowing through the doors. It was beautiful and it called to her. Perhaps she wasn't too late.

The girl pushed the doors open quietly and slipped inside.

* * *

The band hall gleamed with beauty, each instrument stood proudly in its place in the large semi-circle on the half raised stage. Blood velvet red curtains covered half of the instruments. In the direct center of a lower platform beneath the stage were two harps, both made of white ivory. There was a Slytherin boy, about her age, at one of the harps. Her eyes were drawn to him, his face was covered by his long black hair, head inclined. He played the instrument beautifully; it seemed all so tragic how he did. It made her eyes smart with tears.

His last note hung in the air for a moment and was met by clapping. She blinked and for the first time realized other people were in the room. There were adults sitting at a long white table. Two men, one woman.

The boy looked up from his harp; the girl was startled at his appearance. She had seen him before but couldn't recall. He possessed the strangest eyes she had ever seen. Silver eyes full of..

The boy looked away from her then at the teachers then silently got up from the instrument. Letting his fingers cross the strings as he got up allowing a tinkle to float through the air.

"Brilliant job." The black woman teacher said, "I will be looking forward to seeing you on my Orchestra."

The boy smiled slightly, as if he really did not want to smile. He walked past the girl and out of the doors wordlessly.

"Miss Rose you are late."

Abigail jumped, "Yes, yes I know. I am quite sorry. Forgive me. May I still audition?" she said anxiously. She kept her eyes downcast.

"Of course you can Miss Rose

* * *

"They only let you audition because of your popularity and family."

Abigail stopped short, the proud expression fading from her face. That boy was leaning against a wall, looking down at her blankly. He towered over her by about a foot.

"Hello, I thought your performance was brilliant. I'm Abigail Rose. You are?" she brushed off his comment and smiled. Her lavender eyes locked into his silver eyes for a moment, he scoffed and looked away.

"Do you do that often?" the boy frowned slightly at her.

"Do what?" Abigail began wondering what was wrong with her. Did she have an annoying habit?! Oh gosh!

"That. You must have everyone like you." He crossed his arms and rolled his brilliant silver eyes.

"No..are you going to tell me your name?" Abigail tried to keep her friendly demeanor. Slytherin were always hard to deal with..but this one...well..in response the handsome Slytherin harpist walked away, his cloak billowing behind him. Abigail watched him leave with a sigh. Some people………………………………………………………………………….

* * *

"So how'd your audition go? You just went straight to bed without telling us."

Abigail looked at her red haired friend, Ginger, her green eyes always lit with that fire for fun. "It went swell. I believe I shall make it." Abigail said while cutting her toast into small pieces. She noticed everyone at the Gryffindor table-and all the other houses- ate like this too now. Everyone always wanted to do everything like her.

She stuffed her entire toast in her mouth.

"Abigail are you ill?" her other best friend blinked, it was a blond third year with pale blue eyes and hair like corn silk. Abigail did not answer, she just chewed and stared at her gold plate. That boy was right. She was so popular..people did things just to please her perhaps because of her father being Minister of magic? She hadn't really even thought of it before until now. Why did that Slytherin have to point it out? She was always beautiful, perfect, smart, funny..even those in other houses liked her. She could do nothing wrong. Why was she letting what that Slytherin said bother her? But it was so true.

"Abigail hi!" a chorus of fifth year Hufflepuffs walked by. She looked up at them and smiled politely, her mouth still full of toast.

"Hey Abs, next thing you know..everyone will be breaking etiquette rules and stuffing their mouths full of toast as well." Ginger commented jokingly. Lumina, the blond, chuckled.

Ginger was probably right. Abigail spit the food out into a lacy napkin and stood up, dusting off crumbs from her uniform skirt.

"I am going to take a brief walk-"

Lumina and Ginger made a move to get up.

"_Alone"_

They sat back down.

Abigail picked up her bags and swiftly yet gracefully left the dining hall.

The sun hung low in the sky and warmed her porcelain-like skin. The grounds sprawled out in front of her, green and full of life. Spring was her favorite season; Birds chirping, bees buzzing, everything coming anew after the harsh lifeless winter.

Abigail put her bags down by the doors of the school and began to walk toward the lake, to her favorite lone cherry blossom tree that she and her close friends spent hours under doing homework, talking, or just watching life go by.

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the strong old cherry blossom tree and listened to the sounds of around him. His raven black hair blowing lazily into his face and pink-white cherry blossom leaves spinning around him in the wind. He was in his own world…he didn't really like Spring, Winter was more his season but sometimes in solitude it had its moments. He heard something so beautiful in the darkness. It was like how he imagined hearing an angel sing would be. The voice was so soft, gentle, weak yet strong, who was this siren?

"Oh ..hello." the singing had abruptly stopped. He opened his eyes to see a third year Gryffindor girl. _That_ third year Gryffindor girl.

"Hello." He said watching in slight annoyance as she sat down beside him. "How about I'll go, I know this is _your_ spot. You and your little friends have a tendency to claim things that don't belong to you."

Abigail smiled slightly. "You can't call me little, you are a third year as well no?"

"You're a smart girl." He said beginning to rise, Abigail grabbed his wrist, he looked back at her. "Do you have a problem? It is quite flattering but I'm not going to be another of your fan boys or stalkers." He said dryly.

"I do not want you to be. I just want company…the company of a fellow musician." Abigail looked up sweetly at him with those lovely lavender eyes. He sighed, he really didn't want to be getting up anyway so he sat back down. Abigail smiled at him, he looked away over the lake.

The two sat in silence, Abigail glanced over at the Slytherin harpist. He seemed so distant. She finally remembered where she'd seen his face. He was always the silent boy she'd see as she was going to class. For some reason something about him had always intrigued her, she'd just never been brave or bold enough to speak to him. Maybe she could get to know him. What was behind those silver eyes? His long black hair always hung in his face, he never to seem to have expression on his face unless it was a frown. He was such a handsome young man and a brilliant musician. She wanted to know what spawned his passion and his darkness.

"It's not nice to stare '_Miss Rose'_". He muttered still looking at the lake. Abigail flushed and looked away.

"Forgive me."

They sat in silence again, the only sound came from the nature and the occasional hum from the Gryffindor harpist.

"You have a beautifully tragic way of playing the harp. It seems to speak volumes of hurt, pain, sorrow..the dark side of music..of life. It was tearfully a brilliant experience. Very unlike my way of playing."Abigail said suddenly.

"What do you know about life? You're just a pampered daughter of the Minister of Magic." came his musically rude reply.

Abigail blinked back tears. Why was she crying? Because that rude Slytherin had insulted her? Or was it because it was true? She bit her bottom lip and looked up at the sky.

"And now you are about to release your weakness for all to see." The boy was now looking at her with a slight frown.

"I'm not weak."Abigail said in what she hoped was a defiantly strong voice.

"I'm sorry, you're right. You're perfect." The boy raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you wanted me to say? I assume you are quite used to people lying to you and kissing your arse? Wouldn't it be nice to have someone not treat you like a princess?" he asked in a normal tone, it wasn't rude or snappish this time.

"Yes."Abigail sniffed and searched her robes for a handkerchief.

"Then I have done you a favor." The boy held out his hand, in it was a black cotton handkerchief with the initials R.B. in it in gold.

"Thank you kindly."Abigail took it from his hand and dabbed the corner of her eyes. "What does R.B. stand for?" she asked, her voice still wavering. She hoped he couldn't tell.

"Richard. Richard Blackheart." He said watching her as she folded his handkerchief in a perfect square.

Abigail gasped suddenly, "You helped me with my potions once! In first year!"

"Apparently."Richard stood and dusted off his uniform and robes. "And I'm sure you recall that we have classes this morning. You are late." He said as he extended his hand to help her up.

"Oh my!" Abigail gasped. "What am I going to do?!" she paced back and forth frantically.

"Calming down would be a start." Richard watched her scurry about like she was a mildly interesting television show. "You're like an ant.."

"I CAN'T Calm down!" Abigail sighed. "I fear I must go." She ran toward the school.

Reaching for the door she was..handed her books by none other than Richard.

"How did-"

Richard tucked his loose long black floppy hair behind h is ears. "It's called apperation/dissaperation."

"But that's like..fifth year magic." She was clearly impressed. He simply shrugged.

"Who's to say what age one must be to learn magic? Come now before we are any later. I have to get to Herbology, you have to get to where?" he adjusted the book bag strap on his arm.

Abigail nodded and was about to leave him but stopped. "Let me walk _you _to class. 'Princess' won't get in trouble, you would."

Richard stared at her for a moment before willing her to follow him to class…………….

* * *

"You're late." The Herbology teacher, a fat-pigged lipped man in a white banana shaped hat stated as soon as Richard came into the greenhouse. The entire class was Slyhterin, they did not do doubled classes with other houses. "That'll be fifty points from Sly-"

The whole class glared at him, it was clear they would beat him up-or try to- as soon as possible. But before the professor could finish the sentence, Abigail came out from behind Richard.

"Professor please do not, It was I. It was my fault. I kept him…um.." she couldn't lie.

"I was helping her with her homework." Richard lied with a straight face. Abigail marveled at Slytherin deceit and cunning.

"Yes, please. What he said." Abigail hung her head and placed her hands behind her back. The picture of innocence.

The professor, and the Slytherin students, stared at this. There were two completely opposite students. What would they need to help each other for? A Slytherin and a noble Gryffindor?

"Fine. Come in Blackheart. Rose I suggest you make haste to class."…………………...

* * *

Abigail couldn't wait until she saw Richard again. She couldn't stop thinking about him and she didn't want to. He was so interesting to her. She wanted to know everything about him and be his friend. She wanted to know the mind behind those dangerously deep silver eyes. Her friends and followers all noticed the sudden dreamy jubilance in her. How she'd been blissfully unaware of everything. Just going about her normal routine of hellos, smiles, waves, laughs, and classes in a haze of excitement she'd never experienced.

"Abigail, okay tell us what it is." Ginger snapped, her green painted nails in Abigail's face. Abigail blinked, her lavender eyes swiveled over to the more silent of her two friends.

"Lumina, tell Ginger to hush. I was doing something." Abigail stared back outward at the glistening calm lake. Only a few weeks ago in this same spot she'd met the most amazing person.

"She is day dreaming about an acquaintanceship of serendipity. The universe has made our angel Abigail intrigued." Lumina said in that strange manner that confused Ginger.

"If you must know-"Abigail stopped to wave at multiple students that had passed by her with the sole intention to see her. Then she continued. "I met a really nice person."

"Ooh Roy will be livid." Ginger cut in, sitting up so fast she almost got whiplash.

"Roy? What about him?" Abigail shrugged. Roy Livingston was one of her old best friends. They were neighbors and friends since childhood, and Roy had slowly stopped talking to her. They'd drifted apart. He hung with the cool Gryffindor Quidditch players. He himself was the youngest captain they'd ever had and he was keeper, and a very very good one. Her friends Lumina and Ginger , who were children of very carefully placed people, believed that since she was of high status and he was the head Quiddtich player that they were destined to be together. Funny how they hadn't spoken barely three words to each other since their first year.

" I hear that he talks about you all the time." Ginger teased.

"That is his problem. I am not the one who-oh Hi!" Abigail had spotted Richard walking past with a thick book in his hand. How noble..reading on a weekend.

"Isn't that _that_ Slytherin?" Ginger whispered to Lumina, who didn't answer but watched silently.

Richard looked up and his eyes landed on the happily waving girl. A small almost invisible smile passed across his lips, in spite of himself. He gave a small wave and went back to his business.

Richard found a solitary spot from the others, under a sad looking weeping willow. He lay on his side and propped his head on his hand, his black hair fell like a curtain over his face blocking out the world on either side and in front of him. He opened his book-advanced magic- and began to read.

Abigail briskly walked over to him, her friends watching far away from the cherry blossom tree. There he was, hair covering that handsome face of his.

"You're an enigma." Abigail said in greeting and sat beside him. "What are you reading?" she waited silently for a response.

"Hello Miss Rose. What do you want?" he muttered while turning a page without looking up.

"Forgive me, I just wanted to say hello to my new friend. I've missed you." Abigail leaned against the tree and stuck her high sock covered legs out in front of her.

"Friend? That's rich." Richard said with a sardonic snort.

Abigail blinked naively. "What? How so? I think you are..intriguing."

Richard slammed his book closed, Abigail jumped, several birds flew away. "Is this a way for your father to get reelected or something for next year? Hmm? Talk to the only Slytherin-hell only student probably- with 'dirty' blood?" his hair still covered his face but she could..sense..his..irritation? Abigail didn't know what to say.

"Um..I'm sorry.." her eyes began to water. "I didn't mean..I mean I just want to be your friend. I really.." she hung her head, her brown silky hair hanging in her face.

Richard looked up at her, his own hair falling around his handsome face. She looked so..gah! "Abby look, uh..I really like your singing. You sound amazing. Like one of heaven's angels mourning the loss of her wings and her inevitable descent into darkness. I loved it." He peered at her.

Abigail wiped her tears on her robes and looked up, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Thank you..I never heard anyone put it like that." She sniffed.

"Yeah..I'll say." He sat back against the tree's trunk and picked up his book going back to reading.

"Did you call me..Abby?" Abigail asked tentatively.

"Oh, forgive me, do you not like that name?" Richard asked from behind the book.

"Oh..no it is fine. May I call you Richard then?" she sat back against the tree as well. Richard's silver eyes swiveled over to look at her.

"Perhaps you can. Do not overdo it." He went back to reading. After a few moments he spoke again. "Abby, why do you wish to converse with someone like myself, while you are a Gryffindor pureblood who's father is the Minister of Magic? What makes you 'friendly' with everyone? Are you mentally unstable or something?" Richard glanced over at her, she was watching him, he looked away.

"Well." Abigail glanced over her shoulder, everyone on the grounds was watching them but went back about their business when she noticed. She stared up at the clear blue sky. "I guess because everyone is a person. I think it's rather ridiculous that we judge and discriminate at this establishment based on house politics, we are all students." She sighed. "furthermore, it's sad that we wizards can not get along because of mere family ties. We all bleed red. No one's blood is 'dirty'. We are as bad as muggles with their segregation based on skin tone. Defacto or Dejure it is all wrong. Until this world is united there will never be harmony. Just pain and unnecessary death." She continued. "Not to mention, I know a lot of people from different houses and they are all worth talking to, and Richard that is why. At the end of the day we are all people. We cry. We laugh. We hope. We dream. We regret. We love. We hate. We grow. Nothing will change that. Regardless of whether my lineage is completely magically inclined or if yours skipped a few generations. Humans we all are. Witch or Muggle. We are all one species. We fight over puerile things, we spend so much time fighting about our differences that we forget to embrace our similarities. I don't know about you." Abigail smiled at him. "but I do not like normal. It gets boring."

Her speech was met by silence. He simply searched her face as if he were reading her. Abigail felt slightly uncomfortable under his warm gaze and began to play with strands of her floor-sweeping hair.

"Do you honestly perceive true all of that you just said, or do you merely say that because you are supposed to, Abby?" Richard finally said calmly.

"Because I want to, I believe that." Abigail said seriously.

"I believe-" Richard was about to say but his attention was called by two girls near the Cherry Blossom tree watching them. "Your little friends wish you back." He sat back against the tree and picked up his book again.

Abigail gave her friends a polite smile and turned determinedly back to Richard. He had gotten up and was dusting himself off.

"Goodbye, Rose." Richard muttered while walking off before she could speak. She watched him leave, wondering when they would next meet………………………………………

* * *

…………."What were you doing? You know conversing is one thing but actually sitting with? What would your mum say? This is getting way out of hand."The red head was always passionate about her beliefs.

Abigail sighed, sometimes she wanted to get loud and angry but that would ruin her 'voice' and her 'ladylike demeanor, being like a wind..blah blah bha'. "Ginger, with all due respect, what is out of hand is how short you are wearing your uniform skirt these days."

The girls were in the courtyard eating lunch. Lumina was silently piling Jalapeño on a salad and listening to the conversation. Abigail was reading a novel and paying little attention to her own food. Ginger was watching male upperclassmen as they walked by and eating her food in small bites.

"You are not good at changing subjects."Lumina stated wistfully and continued to arrange her lettuce in a nice shape of a heart.

"I do not wish to speak about Richard at the moment. Or any of my contact with-" Abigail stated calmly. Her mother always taught her that a beautiful lady never raised her voice. Never lost her temper.

"Abigail. He's a _half-blood_ with a Muggle born mother. AND he's a Slytherin." Ginny slammed her hand down on the bench for emphasis.

"House politics and blood does not matter Ginger. To her anyway." Lumina stated, her eyes on Abigail but her words directed at the read head.

Abigail didn't answer, her own eyes watching a group of third year boys coming toward them. It was the Gryffindor Quiddtich team. There he was. Roy Livingston. Taller than her by about a foot. Flaming red hair he wore in a long slick ponytail, dark green eyes, and always a small clever grin. Their eyes met briefly and he and his group passed. Abigail waved and smiled. Roy gave a strange smile in return and abruptly adverted his eyes. He instantly began talking to one of his buddies again. Abigail looked down at her lunch, little did she know, Roy glanced back at her before leaving the area.

"See Abigail, that's who you need. Handsome. Athletic. Nice. Your friend. Gryffindor. Pureblood." Ginger commented while taking a leaf of Lumina's salad.

Abigail furrowed her brow and went back to reading her book.

"Ginger, perhaps you should keep your opinions to yourself." Lumina suggested, something in her voice sounded a bit snappish.

Abigail closed her book. Lumina placed a hand on her shoulder. "I like the idea…" she said softly.

Abigail was very grateful for Lumina. She was always there with a kind word, always making her feel like whatever she was doing was right. Lumina's soft blue eyes watched her for a moment.

"Thank you."

"Of course, besides…Ginger is ..of the unrestricted type, I'm sure she would come along." Lumina pat her shoulder and went back to her salad to discover a leaf was missing from her heart shape.

"Ginger!" Lumina gasped scandalized and pinched the red head on the arm, causing her to jump and lose her gaze on the older males.

"What did I do?!" Ginger gasped….

Abigail silently stood, she wanted to be alone, besides they weren't paying her any attention anymore anyway. She would go to her favorite spot, no one else knew about it but her. It was the only place she could come and just be herself, free with her thoughts, no one around her, no one to have to say "'hello"' to or '"good day miss"'. She crossed the courtyard apparently unnoticed, administering "Good Afternoon" to all that said something to her. She went to the end of the courtyard that branched off in two directions, one to the Forbidden forest and one to a cluster of hanging vines.

She looked over her shoulder, Lumina and Ginger were deep in conversation not noticing the absence of their best friend. She sighed and went through the vines.

The area was cool, damp, and shaded. Setting off the image of solitude and beauty was a nice sized old gazebo, vines covered it too and to a person who didn't notice, it would seem it was not there. On top of the Gazebo's pavilion roof was a chain of flowers that appeared to be like those little flower crowns little girls wore on their heads. She gazed at the area, taking in the fresh air..and then heard a crunching of someone's feet behind her. She turned around and was face to face with-

"Hi…Abigail…what are you doing out here?" Roy said. He seemed so odd without his friends around him, and a bit awkward.

"I am about to read.." she showed him her book. They stood there in silence for a moment. What happened to them? They used to be able to talk to each other all the time.

"Oh..why?" Roy blinked looking around.

"Because I like to read." What kind of question was that? Abigail wished this conversation was over, it was going nowhere.

"Why alone?" Roy frowned.

"Maybe because unlike you, she can actually function without others breathing down her neck."

Abigail looked up, behind Roy, leaning against a oak tree covered in vines, was Richard. He was looking at her with a slight grin on his face. She smiled. Roy followed her eyes.

"Who are you?" Roy frowned deeper. Richard tossed his hair and looked at the red head like he was a slightly amusing play.

"This is Richard Blackheart..he's my friend…" Abigail said quickly before Richard could answer. She could tell he was about to say something nasty. " I think." she muttered as an afterthought.

"That? Him?! _Are you kidding_?" Roy scoffed and laughed, looking at her with pure shock. "He's a Slytherin! Much worse he's got filthy blood-"

"I _am_ standing _right here_ you know." Richard said pointedly.

"That was rude Roy. Could you leave please?" Abigail said as sweetly as possible. Roy scoffed and left. They stood in silence for a moment. "Sorry about that. That was Roy.." she said going into the Gazebo.

In octagonal shaped gazebo sunlight streamed in from the other side while vines blocked the entrance. The gazebo framed and overlooked a rocky cliff and the beautiful dark and ever turbulent water below. During spring and summer a pleasant breeze blew into the pleasantly hidden spot from the water.

"I figured." Richard went to the other side of the gazebo facing the cliff and looked outward. Abigail sat on the long bench that circled the room.

"We are friends." She explained.

"Are you quite certain of that?" came Richard's reply. Abigail was silent for a moment.

"Well..we used to be..we have drifted apart.." she sighed.

"Perhaps your friendship was hidden under pretensions…maybe that's a good thing."

A breeze blew into the room. Richard's hair blew carelessly around him, as did his long black school robes. Abigail silently watched him.

"It's not nice to stare." Richard said coyly.

Abigail flushed, looking down at her hands that were placed daintily in her lap. "I'm sorry again." She just couldn't fathom why she always watched him. He was just something.

"Do you come out here often or is this just a coincidence?" Richard still looking outward.

"I-" Abigail began but Richard continued.

"_Or_are you stalking me?"

Abigail blinked. "I am not, how dare you-"

A chuckle emitted from Richard, he gave her a sideways glance.

"That was a dirty joke."Abigail gasped, she laughed slightly.

"But to answer your question, yes I come here often." She got up and glided over to him. She too stared out at the drop off and the sea.

The spring time Moonlilies were blowing gently in the wind their elastic stems and crescent shaped leaves bending to the control of the wind's invisible hand. These hands wrapped around Abigail's hair and around her face.

"I always come here to get away from everyone. Don't you get me wrong, I enjoy their company but at times I just want to be alone. I like to be alone and fester in my own thoughts." She gave an airy sigh. She looked over at him. "Stupid isn't it?"

"Not at all." Richard turned his face to her propping his head on his hand and elbow on the banister.

"Roy seemed to think that."

Abigail gave him a small smile and sat back on the bench. She picked up her book again.

"If I may, how do you call him your friend?" Richard sat down beside her.

Abigail opened her mouth but closed it. How could she possibly answer that? It was such a question. "Well we used to be friends. Until that is, we drifted apart. We hardly say a sentence to each other."

Richard didn't say anything therefore she continued in her soft airy tone.

"We used to be rather close. Hmph I recall once when we were kids, a few months before we got letters to attend Hogwarts, we used to sneak out of our houses at night-we are neighbors- and we would go on these 'secret journeys' to locate pixies and wood nymphs. Ha to this day I never have seen one." She laughed softly at the bittersweet memory.

"You seem unhappy."Richard observed silently.

"Oh it's nothing." Abigail played with the book. "I just thought we'd always be friends." She looked down, her hair falling into her face.

"Maybe." Richard tucked her hair behind her ear gently. "Your destinies will collide." His lips turned up in a small smile. Abigail looked up at him and smiled.

"You know what?"

"No what?" he finished brushing her long brown hair behind her ears, then placed her hands behind his back.

"I think you might be right."………………………………………………………………

* * *

"Abigail look!" Ginny hopped around and squealed, she had just burst through the large double doors of the Orchestra hall. She wagged a golden plaque in her face. "I'm officially the _3rd_ _Violinist_. I got a seat in the Orchestra!"

Abigail smiled, in the back of her mind she worried if she'd earned a spot. She'd seen many students leave out happily boasting their place in the orchestra. But she was afraid to go in and she if she'd made it.

"Well bitch give me a hug!" Ginger hugged Abigail who laughed.

"I will be needing one too. I have gotten a place as _2nd_ _Cello_" Lumina's soft passive voice clashed over the brasher voice of Ginger's chatter.

"Oh great!" Ginger and Abigail congratulated her.

"Perhaps you should find out if you made it." Lumina beamed at her friend.

"But.."

"Roy is playing guitar. Didn't know he liked music…" the blond insisted.

Abigail smiled weakly. "That's brilliant." She sighed. "What if.."

"Okay okay come Abigail, we will go in with you." Lumina nodded, her blond pigtails bobbing.

"Yeah! That's what we shall do." Ginny pranced over to the door and opened it.

Abigail swallowed and allowed them to usher her in. Her mind reeled. What if she had not made it? She was sure they'd noticed her mistake. She'd missed a note. An entire note! What if-

The hall was full of students and the orchestra teacher, a black woman with short dark brown hair and friendly chocolate eyes, Abigail recognized her as the same woman that judged them during auditions. Abigail searched the room, first her lavender eyes fell on a certain red haired boy boasting about his place in the orchestra. Then her eyes found solace. There he was.

"Richard!" she waved enthusiastically.

"Don't call him over here!" Ginger hissed. People in the room looked up and toward Abigail.

There was a loud bird caw, everyone looked off in the direction of the sound.

"The hell?" someone muttered. Lumina snickered.

"Go over to him. Everyone is distracted." She whispered to Abigail who was too trying to figure out where the sound had come from.

Abigail blinked.

"Go go." Lumina nudged her, she glanced over at Ginger. The fiery haired girl was arguing with a fourth year about what kind of bird it was.

Abigail swam through the sea of distracted young musicians and soon reached Richard. He was standing near the group of Slytherin but at a distance. He seemed amused by the students searching for random bird calls.

"Hello, Miss Rose." Richard looked down at her grinning face.

"Hello Mr. Blackheart." She rolled her eyes. "Come I want you to meet Ginger and Lumina. They are my friends." She took him by the wrist and tried to pull him.

Richard raised a skeptical eyebrow and took her hand from his wrist. "I don't think so."

Abigail sighed, like a slow wind. "Richard please."

"They, nor do I, have a desire in meeting." He leaned against a wall near a group of trumpets.

Abigail glanced back at her friends. Ginger and many others were still trying to figure out the bird noises. Lumina was looking directly at them, her baby blue eyes seemed so kind and welcoming.

"Nonsense. Lumina will be happy to meet you." She looked up at him again.

"And the other one?" Richard looked over at her friends. Now they both were watching them…in fact everyone was. Abigail followed Richard's eyes. As soon as she looked, everyone looked away as if they'd never been watching. Why did everyone always have to watch her?

"Well…Ginger is a bit..hard headed." Abigail shrugged.

They stood in silence in their little corner watching the other studens' names get called. Maybe she wasn't good enough. Maybe finally she'd lost at something. Finally she wasn't perfect enough.

"Your eyes reflect doubt."

Abigail blinked. "I'm sorry, forgive me, I did not hear you."

Richard opened his mouth to speak again. "I said-"

"Richard Blackheart."

The music teacher was holding a gold plaque and looking directly at him with a smile.

"Go." Abigail managed a smile. Richard said nothing and walked through the ocean of students-that actually parted like a sea as he went through- and up to the woman.

Abigail watched the woman congratulate him with a smile and handshake. She began to feel worse. If he'd made _1rst Harpist_ there was only one other place and she'd heard that twenty others had auditioned. Even a muggle-born girl who'd attended some fancy New York musical school had auditioned. She'd be a disgrace to her name, to her family if she failed at one of the few things she was truly passionate about. Her eyes began to sting and a lump formed in her throat.

"Abigail Rose."

Clapping filled the music hall. Richard was smiling slightly, standing beside the woman holding the plaque. Abigail blinked back her tears and gracefully walked up to receive her plaque.

"Your tears were for nothing, as you can see." Richard whispered as she shook hands with the woman.

"Thank you." Abigail smiled at them.

"Pose for us." A man with a camera came out of nowhere. Soon ten photographers or more swarmed them taking multiple photos of her with her plaque.Richard silently moved out of the way.

"Always is like this when she accomplishes even the littlest thing."

Richard looked toward the speaker. It was a tallish-not as tall as him of course- blond girl. Beside her was a shorter red head. Both Gryffindor.

"I know , right." The red head, Ginger, scoffed.

"You are Richard." Lumina, the blond, suddenly looked directly at him. He narrowed his silver eyes.

"Clearly."

Ginger frowned. "Lumina lets go take pictures with Abigail." She kept her eyes on Richard with a frown as she pulled Lumina up onto the platform. Lumina glanced back at him impassively.

The girls took pictures with their friend. The camera's flashing lights giving the orchestra hall the appearance of a photo shoot. Richard watched Abigail plaster a fake smile on her face s she took picture after picture. With every flash it seemed her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Richard did not wish to watch this any longer.

Abigail watched sadly as he left the room…………………………………………………

* * *

The night was beautiful. A crescent moon hung in the sky illuminating the world around it. Late summer Moonlilies sparkled with little lights that dripped from their petals and floated around the area. Below there was a raging sea that slammed itself against jagged rocks below. The wind ran it's transparent fingers through her silky brown hair, and it blew her thin white night gown about. Abigail was standing dangerously near the edge of the cliff behind the vine hidden gazebo.

She hadn't been able to sleep, her mind riddled with the events of the day. She felt cold and alone. She felt so…fake. Something was going to have to change. When she looked in the mirror these days she wasn't sure who that was looking back at her. Everyday was so routine. A smile here, a wave there. Never raising her voice. Never letting her feelings show. All she wanted was someone who would never treat her like "The minister of Magic's daughter". It bothered her everyday, the fact that her best friends weren't her best friends until her father got that position. Lumina's father was the Chief Editor of the Daily Prophet, Ginger's parents were both members of the SIRA , which was a service that protected the Minister of Magic with their lives. Sometimes she feared their parents told them to befriend her on purpose. Even Richard had said that. It wasn't until he'd pointed out things that it really had gotten to her.

Abigail sat in the midst of the Moonlilies and watched the little lights float around. It was so beautiful. She wished she had someone to enjoy it with. The little lights clung to her and wrapped around her fingers. They felt like air and were bitterly cold. They seemed to be whispering hollowly, all saying different things that merged into a song of beauty and sorrow. What were those lights?

"They're called Pyreflies." A soft voice said. Abigail jumped. Richard was now sitting beside her looking outward at the sea crashing below with incredible violence. His long floppy black hair hung loose as usual, he was in black pajamas that were covered by his cloak.

"They are?" Abigail watched the lights float around and cling to their hair. The pale moonlight gave them a mysterious glow. Their light gave Richard's light tan skin a beautiful luminescence that made him look even more mysteriously handsome.

"Yes. They are fragments of a soul ..or souls, they are memories, they are just that. It is said that they make up every living thing and are left behind when a person leaves this world but not really. It read it somewhere. No one truly understands the nature of the Pyreflies. Some say they can recreate a person." Richard said watching as a Pyrefly swam through the air like a mermaid. "Can't you hear their voices?"

Abigail nodded. "Yes. What are they saying?"

"I do not know." Richard replied. He looked over at her, she was now staring up at the crescent moon. Her skin had a gentle porcelain glow in the harsh moonlight. She looked so unhappy..

"I noticed you do not like taking pictures." Richard looked away from her face and at the sky. Abigail drew her knees up to her chest.

"Yeah…"

"I am sorry."

"Why?" Abigail glanced over at him.

"I fear I was under the impression that you liked the attention."

Abigail shook her head. " I hate it. All of it."

Soon Abigail found herself spilling out all her feelings onto Richard, a boy she'd only known for barely three weeks. But it felt like she'd known him all her life, and he listened silently. They'd spent the entire night talking. Only with him did she actually feel like her voice was being heard.

"Abby?" Richard noticed she hadn't spoken in ten minutes. He looked down at her, the Gryffindor's head was resting on his shoulder, her brown hair covering it. He rolled his eyes.

"I guess I'll have to take the princess back in." he sighed. Richard gently picked her up-thus holding her bridal style- she sleepily moved her arms around his neck. Richard shook his head. Silently he walked her back towards Hogwarts.

After that night Abigail and Richard grew closer. She spent less time with her other friends and more time with him. They spent the better half of their third year together. Richard of course was still very silent and mysterious and Abigail accepted that without question. When he would leave suddenly on some nights and not return until later the next day she said nothing. She wasn't sure if he considered her a friend yet but he was _her_ friend. Sometimes it wasn't easy ignoring everyone's stares and whispers but Richard always made her feel better somehow. In music class they were always the best, their music merging into sweet harmony. There were days when the Professor would only tell them to play while the others merely listened………………

* * *

"We'll see each other again?" Abigail hugged him tighter than necessary and refused to let go. Students pushed past them boarding the Hogwarts Express. Lumina and Ginger watched from a window on the train. Frowns crossing their faces for different reasons.

"Sooner than you think maybe." Came Richard's vague reply, his arms hung at his sides, unsure of whether to hug her back. He'd already allowed himself to be around her more than he'd wanted to be.

"I'm going to miss you Richard." Abigail whispered in his ear softly. "You make me feel like a normal student and not the Minister's angelic daughter. You know what else?" Abigail giggled. "It was fun being late for class for once. Such a rush."

Richard chuckled softly. "I bet it was."

The horn blew loudly, smoke coming from the train.

"We'd better be off. " Richard moved out of her embrace and picked up her bags using magic, they floated ahead of them and onto the train.

"Come sit with me and my girls."Abigail said. Richard said nothing but helped her onto the train. "Well?"

" I do not wish to."Richard said. "Well." He quickly changed his words at the expression on her face. "Perhaps I should say, I _would _but your 'girls' don't desire company other than yours. Farewell until next we meet Abby." Richard petted her awkwardly on the shoulder and left down the train to the Slytherin area. She watched him go with a sigh.

"Hey!"

Abigail jumped. "Oh..um..hello Roy."

"Sup. Uh excuse me…"Roy stepped around her with his posse and two upperclassmen girls. "Abigail.."

"Your father is like totally the best." One of the girls giggled.

"Thank you." Abigail suddenly felt trapped in that spotlight again. She never felt that way when she was with Richard. She had to get away from them. "Pardon me." She grabbed her bags and moved thorough the ten people.

"Hey Abigail!" Roy called. She breathed in and turned to him with a smile, all the others were watching them. "Have a nice summer…"

She blinked. He called her to say that?! "You too." Quickly she left to be with her friends…………………………………………………………

……………………………….

* * *

"Mum, I want this one for the orchestra." Abigail pointed to a beautiful golden harp in the music shop.

Her mother, a handsome petite woman with dark brown eyes and curly brown hair, smiled at her calmly.

"Honey, ladies do not demand things, they ask with submissive grace with a tone of dignity and indifference." Her mother, airily plucked the beautiful harp's strings.

"Of course mother." Abigail sighed softly and walked over to a long floor-to-ceiling mirror in the shop. She was wearing a yellow sundress that billowed around her when she moved, white lace gloves, and white heeled sandals. Her long hair was tied back into a curly ponytail with a large matching bow.And a matching wizarding cloak. On her face was makeup…she felt like a little doll. Now that she was fourteen her mum thought it was time she 'enhance her natural beauty". She'd argued the point all summer but her mother told her that "Ladies don't argue". Her father instantly agreed with her mother. What did her father know? He was never at home.

Abigail sighed and watched a young-about nine- girl with raven hair running her fingers across a beautiful silver harp near the gold one that Abigail wanted.

"You like this one?" the girl asked across the shop to someone. Abigail's eyes landed on a tall male, his back was turned as he was examining a black harp on a wall display. Abigail's heart skipped a beat. Was it..?

The guy turned around and walked over to the young girl.

"Brilliant taste Lyndsay, I like this one too." He ruffled her hair and smiled-it was such a rare smile, a jem.

"Oh brother, must you ruffle my hair?" the girl, his little sister, giggled.

"Mum, Dad, come look, I think I know what I want, perhaps this _Ivyette_ _Valentine_

A beautiful woman, tall and slender with light tan skin sauntered over to Richard and Lyndsay with a small smile. She had a soft gentle face but it was clear that she could get mean really fast. Her eyes were a silverfish-grey, lacking that special strangeness of Richard's but they had their own style. Her raven hair was tied in a tight bun, and complimented her robes. Behind her came an equally tall handsome man, he had icy blue eyes that held a certain warmth, he wore muggle clothes, all black, his hair was hanging and dark brown with a hint of red. It was clear they were Richard and Lyndsay's parents.

"I liked the black one." The woman stated, she tucked Richard's hair behind his ears. "Why baby, must you wear your hair in your yes? Hmm hon?" she looked over at the harp. "What do you think?"

"I like it." The father said. "How much is it?"

"Oh does it matter?" Lyndsay sighed dreamily and danced around them. "It's beautiful. I want to ballet to it's song."

"You don't even ballet. You like Quiddtich." Richard rolled his eyes, a small smile on his face. The family watched the blue eyed girl dance around them.

Abigail had never seen Richard in such a normal light. Just laughing with his family. She wished her family was so together like that..

"Oh sorry!" someone bumped into her. A blue eyed girl was looking up at her. "Wow..you're amazing looking." She breathed.

"Um hi!" Abigail smiled.

"Hello Abby." Richard stepped over to her, putting a brotherly hand on his little sister's shoulder. His sister looked up at him.

"You know _her_?"

Richard looked at Abigail. "Yeah..she..is my…"

Abigail perked up. His friend?

"…acquaintance from school."

Abigail's face fell, but quickly she replaced it with a smile.

"Yeah hi! I missed you all summer. This is your sister?"

Richard nodded. "Yes this is Lyndsay. Those-" he indicated the couple nearby looking over at them but acting as if they weren't. "are my mum and dad."

"Oh well my mum is here too." She indicated her mother , who was talking to an employee.

"I knew that." Richard looked over at her mother.

"Yeah..her being the-"

"You're the minister of magic's daughter!" the little girl gasped. "Wow!"

"Yeah that's me.." Abigail smiled. "So.." she looked over the harps. "I'm going to get the gold one. You're getting the silver. Brillantly perfect."

"Well actually I never said I was-"

"No, it's settled. You're getting it!" Lyndsay ran over to their parents.

"Well she's got spunk, I like her already." Abigail smirked at the expression of slight surprise on Richard's face at his sister's action.

"I would think so." He watched his sister talk animatedly to his parents. They looked over at he and Abigail but didn't come over to them. It was obvious Lyndsay had told them about her.

"Let's go get ice cream." Abigail said suddenly. "After, I inform my dear lovely mother that I want the gold harp."

Richard waited silently while Abigail called her mother over. "Mum, may we get myself this one? The gold _Ivyette_ _Valentine_ styled harp? One of my friends is going to get the silver one. Lovely no?"

Her mother looked around the shop expecting to see Ginger or Lumina, and refused to believe Richard was whom she was referring to. Finally she gave up. "Perhaps I shall purchase the instrument."

"Thank you." She hugged her mother. "May I get some ice cream?"

Her mother frowned, Abigail hung her head, her mom looked over at Richard who suddenly looked away and began whistling to himself.

"I shall purchase your instrument while you get yourself some hip-fattening summer sweet. I mean ice cream." Her mother strolled over to the counter.

Abigail left the shop, Richard followed behind.

Diagon alley was busy this time of year and the sun beamed down angrily onto the cobbled street. Abigail and Richard were spared from the heat, they sat under the awnings of Telisa's Ice Cream Parlor at a small glass round table. Abigail had a triple scooped chocolate cone, Richard had a single scoop vanilla cone.

"So Richard, what do your parents do?" Abigail licked her ice cream slowly, savoring the cocoa and caramel taste.

"My mum is an artist, my father is a lawyer." He watched people walk by.

"Lawyer?"

"For muggles. He's a muggle.." he said dryly. Then added in an undertone. "Among other things."

Abigail wondered what he meant but said nothing. "Well, uh, I'm glad you're here. I am..I have been thinking about you all summer." She felt heat rise in her face at the end of her sentence.

"Ah, how…unfortunate. What's that mess on your face?"

What mess? Was there something wrong with her face? She touched her face. "What?"

"That shit…ahh that's make up is it?"

Oh that? "Um..my mum..she made me wear it. Said it made me beautiful- more than I am. She…" she stared at her ice cream watching it melt. "She is a bit of a perfectionist. She won't even let me walk around alone. She says people will do stuff to me because of my dad and because I am the prettiest girl in Europe and probably overseas too. She has to meet everyone I know first. She never listens to me unless I act like a lady. Even then she doesn't." Abigail sighed.

Richard said nothing for a moment. She had pent up anger, among other things, he noticed that during school last year. "Abby, maybe you- hmmm I've got an idea. Lets…" he pulled out his wand and spun it around." Have an anger management session." He raised an mischievous eyebrow.

"What are you about to do?" Abigail laughed slightly.

A frowning man walked by, shooting them nasty glares.

"Watch and see." Richard waited until the man was almost past them then…their ice cream flew behind the man and slammed into his neck. The guy started cursing a old woman that was shuffling past. The woman hit him with her cane and they started a scene.

"Richard!" Abigail gasped, hiding her smile behind a gloved hand. Richard leaned back nonchalantly smiling in his chair.

"You know you want to laugh." He chuckled. Abigail let out a laugh..she laughed a lot. It made him began laughing. Soon they were laughing so hard and loudly that people began to stare.

It felt so good for Abby to laugh, and it was so odd for her to hear Richard laugh. Finally Richard stopped laughing , a little before she did.

"You are so bad." Abigail whipped tears of laughter and giggled.

"Thank you." Richard smirked.

"Hey!" Abigail leaned forward excitedly. "How did you cast a spell without speaking? That was _WingardiumLeviosa_ , right?"

Richard spun his wand around calmly looking at her. "Yes."

Abigail's lavender eyes widened. "But that…that is ..sixth year magic!"

"And?" Richard's eyes looked off at the people walking by.

"You're brilliant." She stared at him with awe.

"Clearly." Richard said. "You seem really unhappy with your mum.." he said after a moment, he looked at her leaning back in his chair.

Why did he have to bring that up? Everything was going just fine until he asked her that. Well..stated that.

"I ..sometimes.."

"I understand." He said suddenly.

"I ..you do? She always wants me ..I mean I didn't even care for the harp and music at all until my parents made me do something 'classy' but eventually I began to love it."

Richard stared at her for a moment. "I can tell, the fact is in your music. Sometimes it lacks character."

Abigail suddenly felt like a failure, disappointment, and a liar before him. "How..did you get into music?"

"I always appreciated it. My father wanted me to play a sport though-Quidditch. Instead my sister.." he smiled slightly. "Is more of a sports person."

"You really like your sister don't you." Abigail smiled. He nodded. "I wish I had a sibling."

"Lyndsay , she is my youngest sister, she is a muggle as far as we can tell but loves Quidditch and ballet."Richard answered.

Abigail was silent, she was an only child, never knowing the joys of a sibling. It was odd though how never once had Richard ever mentioned his sister until today. He hardly ever talked about himself at all. Richard was not the complete enigma he always came off to be.

"Abigail!"

She jumped and looked around. Her mother was standing on the side walk arms crossed.

"Yes mother."Abigail quickly stood with as much grace as she could possibly muster. She glanced back at Richard, who also had stood. "I'll see you in two and a half weeks I guess…"…………………………………………………………..

Music filled the air, there was always something enchanting about music, but at a school of magic it was just..something else completely. The musicians were deep into their music, playing their part of something much bigger. Their minds in fantasy as their fingers glided, plucked, tapped, beat, and other things..their instruments. What was so amazing about when there were these one hundred or so students coming together to this class..was in Abigail's words "the fact that the invisible lines that divided them didn't exist. Everyone was here for their appreciation of music, to make music that would sing through the halls of Hogwarts forever".

"Brilliantly done." The orchestra director said as the music came to a close.

"Thanks, we do try our best." A fourteen year old Ginger said. Over the course of one summer she was already wearing even more make up and had managed to shorten her skirt from the correct length by about 10 inches without it being noticed. She put her violin in its case and chatted with other violinists.

"Always our best." The blond, fourteen year old Lumina agreed, she propped her Cello against its stand.

Abigail watched her friends file out with the rest of the students and the teacher. She'd stalled by polishing her harp with the utmost care. Soon it was just she and Richard. He was silently reading over the music they'd just done, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Hi." Abigail smiled, rubbing her new gold harp with more _Wet Shine Magical Instrument Gloss_ also known to muggles as Wax, than necessary. Richard did not answer, he continued to read the music.

Abigail silently finished her polishing and gathered her books. "Well see you later. I have to go on patrols. I'm the head girl now." She left silently. It kinda hurt when he did not answer her, even if she knew he probably just did not feel like talking………………………..

* * *

"Should have known you'd be head girl. Well look at this, our first patrol together."

It was Roy. He was standing outside the portrait hole leaning against a wall casually. Abigail blinked. _He_ was head boy for Gryffindor?! But his marks were just average- his student record was not perfect. Abigail could name ten other students much better suited for such a esteemed position. Yet she did not question it, ladies did not question things. They merely accepted them as they came. Stupid logic.

"Hello, Livingston." Abigail said. "Shall we begin?"

Roy frowned. "C'mon, what's with the last name basis?"

Abigail shrugged and walked ahead, he quickly caught up. Roy continued to talk, telling her about the Quidditch season, about all his classes. She made polite noises to show she was listening but otherwise said nothing.

"Oh look. Slytherins." Roy said sneering, Abigail looked up, two Slytherin fourth years walking toward them.

"You aren't supposed to be out." Roy swiftly produced his perfect badge and put it directly in the pair's faces.

Their was a short stocky blond girl and a tall black haired boy. Abigail instantly recognized him. What was he doing out with some girl? A girl who wasn't even attractive?

Richard silently pushed Roy's badge out of his face and chuckled sardonically. "_We_ are Prefects as well." He pulled out his badge and thrust it into Roy's face. "Head Boy and Jasmine here is Head Girl. Don't you feel stupid." He pinned his badge to his robes. Abigail covered her mouth not to laugh.

"Oh look, clearly those two would get the position. Famous girl perfect in everyway. Popular Quidditch boy. Pshaw." Jasmine pushed past them.

Richard stayed behind for a moment. "Bye Abby. I'll see you later." He placed a hand on her shoulder briefly before following the girl.

"_Abby?_ You still..you actually know him then." Roy watched Richard leave with a look of dislike and..was that jealously?...

* * *

The autumn air hung cool with a slight warmth of a summer sun that didn't want to tone it down just yet. The lake was layered with fallen leaves giving it the appearance of solid ground.

Richard and Abigail were sitting against a large Oak tree. It was rather late in the afternoon and no one else was on the grounds but them. Richard was staring at the lake looking at who knows what. Abigail was examining her nails.

Her hands were so delicate, her nails perfectly clean, cuticles pushed back, trimmed and shiny. She wanted very much to pick up a wad of mud and show off her filthy hands to a disapproving mother and an ever-busy father.

Richard moved slightly beside her. Abigail looked up, there was something different about Richard at this exact moment. His long black hair seemed to blow gently in the wind in a totally different manner. His eyes seemed a little more intense. His face a little more mature and handsome. Abigail had never seen him –or anyone- in such a light. He was insanely attractive she couldn't take her eyes off him. His personality made him even the more desirable. Wow, that silent dark demeanor. Wow..why hadn't she noticed this before? She reached up her hand just to brush that strand of his hair back, yeah..Richard suddenly turned to her. Their eyes met abruptly. Abigail quickly looked away, heat creeping up into her face.

"Nice day." She looked up at the sky, hoping her cheeks weren't rosy. What was her problem? What was she feeling?

"It could be worse." Richard said calmly. He stood up and walked over to the lake. Abigail watched..even his walk was different.

Richard stooped down at the edge of the lake and peered in. His hair had grown so, that at this height, it extended down his back and almost touched the ground. "Abby.."

"Yes Richard?" she stood as well and walked over slowly, fixing her hair-which was tied in a ponytail under a beanie.

"Let's go for a swim." He looked up at her, his hair falling handsomely into place.

"What? That..why?"

"I want us to meet the creatures that lurk beneath. You can not tell me you have never once wondered." He stood too. He towered over her by more than two feet now, she'd never _noticed_how tall he was. She looked up at him, her breath caught in her chest. "You look sick."

"Oh no! I'm perfectly healthy. The color just um…" she suddenly forgot what she was about to say…his eyes were so nice to look into.

"The color drained from your face when I suggested it. I am to perceive then, that your type doesn't care for ambitious adventure." Richard crossed his arms challengingly.

"It's not that..what do you mean _your_ type?"

Richard shrugged. "I was under the impression that you Gryffindor were 'brave'! Hmph maybe the sorting hat got yours wrong." He looked at her sideways.

Slytherin had 'silver tongues', thus a knack for talking most into anything. This Slytherin had convinced, within five minutes of suggesting it, a particularly eager yet hesitant Abigail to do something she'd probably regret.

"Fine. But..I can not swim in my uniform.." Abigail started but trialed off.

Richard pulled off his cloak and robes, revealing a tall but fit slim frame in his white uniform shirt. Then he proceeded to unbutton and take off his shirt revealing a lightly tan, fit upper body, abs that gave way to a long narrow waist..compliments of a tall body. Abigail looked away, her face very hot.

"Uh…yeah, um…I can't every well swim in my uniform." She couldn't look at him even though she really wanted to.

Richard chuckled. She heard him walk behind her. "Are you uncomfortable?"

"No…no..no..of course not. Don't be absurd." She squeaked.

"Then turn around." He said it like it was the most logical thing in the world.

She turned around and looked at him determinedly. "What am I going to wear? I can not swim in my uniform."

Richard rolled his eyes. " Well," he said dryly. "You figure that out." He moved her robes off her then stepped back. "That works."

Abigail thought about this. Yes it would be brilliant to filthy up something. "Pefect." She took off her socks and shoes and sunk her toes into the soft leaves. "This is fun!"

Richard raised a comical eyebrow. "You are _very_ sheltered aren't you Abby." It was a statement not a question.

"Well. Let's go!" Abigail walked to the water's edge.

"Not so fast." Richard pulled out his wand. "Would not want us to drown down there Abby." He spun his wan in some advanced way Abigail had never seen any other fourth year do. Suddenly Abigail felt like she was in a movable glass locked form the rest of the world, a semi-transparent rainbowish glow surrounded her. She was in a bubble. Suddenly it faded.

Richard put his wand away. Before Abigail could ask, he told her. "I cast a bubble charm on us. You can not see or feel it but it is there. What does it do? You'll see it is self-explanatory." He crossed his arms across his bare chest.

"Well then..lets go!" Abigail peered into the murky depts of the lake, using a perfect toe to move away leaves. Suddenly her foot slipped and she went crashing into the warm lake. She quickly resurfaced, sputtering from a mouthful of leaves. Abigail glared around, determined to be angry. She heard a laugh, it was very musical laughter- a are laugh. She turned around. Richard was swimming beside her laughing more than she'd ever seen him laugh. She smirked in spite of making a fool out of herself.

"Not exactly graceful, eh?" he laughed at the pouty expression on her face.

"Oh be silent you!" she flung wet leaves at him. "I could have died!" she laughed softly, pulling leaves out of her mouth in a ladylike manner. Richard shook his head.

"You are ready of course? And besides- I wouldn't be daft enough to allow you to drown." He brushed his floppy wet hair from his face. "Submerge when you're ready" he disappeared under the water.

"Richard wait!" she quickly submerged too.

The lake was murky and green beneath. There was hardly any light because the leaves blocked sunlight. Fish, algae, and other things floated past them.

"We are going to find what creatures exactly?" Abigail said. She could speak under water?! And breath quite well..ahh so that's what it did.

"Hmm…the Merpeople." Richard said pointing ahead into some direction further into the lake.

"But.." Abigail was about to protest but she too really always wanted to meet the Merpeople .

They set out. Abigail watched everything pass by them with interest. She looked back to see her long hair trailing behind her like a tail or an eel. She looked over at Richard, he was staring ahead, not getting distracted as much as she. The deeper they went into the lake the less they could see. At some point they stopped at an opening with an opposing current rushing out.

"We're going through here." Richard muttered peering through the opening with a slight frown.

"Here?!" she gestured wildly, forgetting her lady-like composure.

Richard rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Yes. We'll need light." He pulled out his wand and soon a light emitted from its tip. Abigail wished she could cast spells without speaking.

"Lumos" she muttered, pulling out her Oakwood finish wand. She was very proud of her wand because it had a unicorn tail for a core. His wand-to her- was much more beautiful.

"The current is quite strong Abby, so stay close." He took her free hand and led them into the hole.

Abigail's hand almost slipped through his as soon as they entered the opening. He held it tighter and swam to the near walls of the area. The current seemed less forceful at the sides.

They went deeper. Once passing a new path branching from this one. Abigail stared into it. There were many lights in the darkness. It was so pretty. What was-

She was tugged away from the hole and brought very close to Richard's side.

"I thought you were smarter than that." He muttered with slight annoyance.

"What do you mean?" Abigail hated to annoy him. She felt naïve again.

"Those "lights" were creatures trying to lure you into the dark. They can hurt you Abby."

Oh..Abigail looked over at him as they swam along in silence.

"Am I your friend? We're friends right?" she asked.

Richard did not answer, he just glanced at her, their eyes briefly meeting.

Suddenly they came out of the hole, ending up in a beautiful well lit grotto. They shut off their wands.

"Do not be alarmed if they come out looking-"

Abigail shrieked and hid behind him, clinging to his waist. He tensed slightly.

"Abigail you are insulting." Richard muttered out of the side of his mouth.

Before them was a hideous creature with a long fish tail and a nude human torso. The thing's hair was think and whispery and floating with the water. The creature made a loud noise and prodded Richard in the chest with the back end of a Sphere.

Abigail listened in surprise as Richard answered back in the same tone. What in the hell?

The "conversation" went on for about five minutes before they were beckoned into a new area, at first unnoticed. The merperson-a woman- left them alone.

"You really should learn how to speak more languages than just bloody English." Richard pried her clinging hands off him.

"What was that?!" Abigail breathed, eyes wide.

"That was a Merperson. A mer_woman_-er mer_maid_ persay." Richard said looking slightly amused by her behavior.

"How do you know that?" Abigail calmed slightly. Richard did not answer but raised his eyebrows , allowing it to dawn on her. She blushed and looked away.

"And I do know more than just bloody English. I know French and Spanish and I can speak American and we all know that is a feat in itself because no one knows what they're saying half the time." She laughed at her own joke. Richard smiled slightly.

"They're returning."

Sure enough a group of Merpeople had surrounded them. Abigail clung to Richard again, hiding her face in his chest.

A beautiful sound filled the waters. Abigail slowly let him go. They watched in awe as they realized the Merpeople were singing to them. Their voices were so Eerie and so delightful. Even her own voice could not replicate such sound………………………...

* * *

The cool evening air slapped them as they resurfaced, laughing.

"That was brilliant!" Abigail shouted up at the setting sun. She untied her wet ponytail and let her wet stringy hair cascade down.

"Well after you stopped hiding from them."Richard smiled, her happiness always seemed to have that effect on him.

Abigail swam around throwing leaves into the air with extreme jubilance and exhilaration. "Wow!" she giggled.

"We should probably go back inside before we get sick." Richard said watching her swim around while floating stationary near the land.

"Oh Richard I want to stay!" Abigail laughed.

Richard looked up at the sky, it was quite cloudy. "We better go." He got out of the water. Abigail watched him shake his raven hair ..and she shook her head. What was wrong with her?!

"Alrighty." Abigail climbed out, with his help, and realized it was quite breezy out here. She crossed her arms across her chest, not only because of the chill but because of the comment Richard had made under the water about how he'd figured out the gender of the Mermaid.

They put on their robes over their wet clothes and headed back towards the school.

--

Autumn was in full swing. It was very clear that night. The air hung with a chill in it and the wind ruffled the trees with unseen voices. This night was particularly beautiful; the stars twinkled merrily where earlier this morning their playground was covered in thick rainclouds. The moon hung as a crescent, lighting the body of water that could be seen at the edge of the cliff. The Moonlilies were wide open, their petals kissed by that enchantingly eerie glow that was the moon. Sitting amongst them was two fourth year students that had begun the practice of ditching their Prefect companions during patrols.

"'Tis such beauty here at Hogwarts. Shame we're the only ones here that know about this area." Abigail sighed contently laying on her side amongst the flowers.

"Well if everyone knew about this area everyone would be here. That's hardly a good thing."

Abigail looked back at the Gazebo a few yards away from them, there was an opening in the curtain of vines that shielded the area from view of all those that knew not where it was. That opening hadn't been there a few moments ago. They were always careful to close it..hmm.

"What are you looking at?" Richard, who had been sitting up watching Pyreflies, looked over his shoulder as well, silver eyes following hers. "That is strange."

"Perhaps the wind coaxed it open." Abigail shrugged and lay back on her side, facing him, she allowed her hands to run through the Pyreflies that always seemed to surround the flowers. She became lost in thought.

Richard lay on his back and stared up at the stars. One constellation caught his eye. It was the shape of a castle.

Abigail's beautiful brown hair shined in the moonlight as the wind rain it's frail hands through her hair. She had such beautiful grace that extended down to her fingers as they caressed a Lillie's crescent leaves. Her eyes were a nice unique compliment to her beautiful face. She had a long swinish neck on which was adorned a locket of her parents. She was so fragile looking and so beautiful, hidden deep inside her was great strength. The eerie light of the moon set her porcelain skin aglow. One person shouldn't even be able to embody such perfectly astonishing beautiful imperfection. He couldn't keep his gaze from her. It was something in her he'd never seen before.

"It is not nice to stare." Abigail said, her eyes still on the plants, but a Pyrefly had reflected it. She smirked.

"I was not staring." Richard coughed slightly, and stared back at the sky.

--

Roy stopped abruptly in the middle of walking causing Abigail to run into his back.

"What are you doing?"Abigail steadied herself. Roy turned around, a frown up on his otherwise handsome face.

"Abigail, we're ..still friends right?" he said unsurely, looking hard into her eyes. She adverted her eyes. 'No' wanted to spring from her lips. Suddenly she felt irritated. He hardly talked to her, he'd suddenly began ignoring her in the end of their first year. And he had the nerve to ask that question?! Abigail bit her tongue.

"I do not know." She said and began walking again. Roy stopped her by taking her hand, she jerked it away. His eyes seemed hurt by the reaction but otherwise it was hard to tell.

"You wouldn't do that to that Slytherin.." Roy glared at her.

"Richard is-"

"Yeah I saw you two the other night. You always ditch me so you can go be with that filthy Slytherin." Roy raised his voice, this frightened Abigail for she was not used to his. She moved back from him, fear and hurt brimming in her eyes.

"You do not know anything about him." She spoke, her voice cracking. "You are just-"

"I know one thing. If you keep seeing him I'm going to tell your parents." Roy said looking smug.

Abigail ran away from him. She kept running until she got his voice out of her head. She looked around..where was she? It was a part of the school she'd never seen. She walked briskly back the way she came and ran into someone coming down the stairs.

"Sorry." Abigail looked up teary-eyed at the person.

"Abby?" It was Richard, he looked down at her, eyes laced with sincere concern. "What are you doing at the Slytherin tower?" he held her by the shoulders and peered at her.

"Richard Hi!" she hoped he did not notice her tears. Suddenly she felt silly for crying.

Richard did not fall for it. "Abby.."

"I got lost. Crazy eh? You just came from patrolling? Me too! " she tried to smile. He frowned slightly.

"Did Roy upset you?" he brushed away her tears and looked softly into her eyes, those eyes held true concern.

"No it-"

"You are lying. Your eyes betray you." He said softly.

The tears fell down her face. She began to incoherently tell him what Roy had said. She wrapped her arms around him, making him tense slightly, he silently embraced her and told her what she needed to hear.

"Why do you care?" she asked through calming breaths.

"Because..because you..because you're my friend.

--

It was early in the afternoon, since it was the weekend so many students could be seen milling around on the grounds below. On the highest point of the school, the North Tower, stood Abigail pacing back and forth, biting her nails. Such a bad habit. Why was she so anxious? Abigail busied herself with spying on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team with a telescope.

She felt a tap on her shoulder.

"I thought Gryffindor were noble. Spying on the opposing team eh?"

Abigail jumped and turned around to see Richard looking down at her with a mischievous smile. She felt heat rise in her face.

"Very clever Richard. You're late." She pat him on the shoulder and spun away from him.

"Did not know we had a schedule. I went to the Owlery to send my sister something." He leaned against the tower wall.

"Aww." She joked.

They stayed up there talking, even after the sun began to set and most students began to go inside except for couples that wanted to watch the sun set. It was funny how even when Abigail was with him time seemed to pass so quickly. When they talked-her doing most of the talking- she felt like she could never have enough to say. She loved spending time with him. She always thought about him. He made her wonder. Made her feel like "Abby not Abigail Rose The Minister of Magic's daughter. ".

She had been silent for a moment, staring at him. The sun had set casting shadows over the grounds below. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped. What was holding her back? Fear of rejection? She was a brave girl, otherwise the sorting hat would have put her in Ravenclaw.

"Richard.." she said barely audible.

"Yes?" he answered, he was looking up at the sky. She looked up too, what was he looking at?

"The castle in the sky." She whispered. This was a sure sign. "Do you know the story?" she looked over at him.

"Enlighten me." He said, his eyes focused on the constellation with interest. He tucked his loose hair behind his ear.

"Well, it is said that a long time ago a beautiful princess was trapped in that castle and she waited for her knight in shining armor but he never came and she didn't want him to get lost on his way to find her so...she implanted a image of her castle so he could find it...he did and they lived happily ever after." Abigail finished with an afterthought. "They say soul mates, when together, can see it." She gazed hard at him for his reaction. He frowned slightly.

"Do you actually believe that?" he continued to search the sky, never looking at her. What was he looking for? The only thing she saw was the moon mostly covered by clouds there fore it's glow was not cast yet.

"Yeah. Yes.." Abigail looked down at the ground. "Um..Richard.." she glanced at him. He was staring over at the grounds. "I want to… I must convey something to you..I…have to tell you. Before I lose nerve." She wished she was reckless suddenly. Wished she could recklessly love like she was longing to. Wished she could open up her heart and tell him how she felt.

"What is it?" Richard finally turned his visual attention to her. She looked down again, allowing her hair to fall in her face. She pushed it back from her face and stared at the ground.

"Richard. I like..you. I have feelings, that aren't friendly. What I am trying to say is..I have feelings for …you." She did not regret her words once they were out. She looked up at him slowly. He was looking at her impassively.

"Are you serious" he said, it was hard to tell what his own emotions were because his voice was so calm at the moment.

Abigail nodded nervously. "I am."

Richard frowned, scoffed, and turned away from her. He walked away and left the tower. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything.

--

"Richard can we talk?"

It was night. They'd had a long practice in the music room. Richard was the last person to leave, other than Abigail, she stopped him at the door.

"If you wish to discuss what happened last week, then no." came his reply, he left the room.

What had she done wrong? She followed after him into the corridor.

"Richard!" she shouted after him. "We have to talk about this! I can't just let it go. Do not let me fade into your background like a piece of yesterday." She pleaded almost.

Richard stopped. "We are not going to have this discussion." His back was turned from her.

"We will. We have to. I do not regret telling you how I feel, I'll see if you don't feel the same but ..it is true." She walked up beside him.

"You do not understand." He scoffed and began walking again.

"You won't _let_ me understand. Quit pushing me away!!" She got louder than necessary, her emotions were all over the place. She was thinking of nothing but right now.

Richard began to leave again without saying anything. She rushed up, stumbling slightly on her own robes, she caught his hand. He turned around abruptly, looking down at her. She expected to see him angry, annoyed, something..but not what she saw. He seemed unsure. He wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Richard I.." she looked up at him, her face riddled with emotion. What was she doing? Was she about to ruin their friendship? With only three days left in the school year? They couldn't possibly be friends after this. Why did she have to complicate things?

"I have to go." He cut her off. He let her hand go and left her in that corridor.

"Richard.." she said hoarsely. She leaned against a wall and slid down to the floor, face in her hands……….

--

The surroundings began to get foggy and warped. Hermione blinked and found herself being abruptly placed in the Orchestra Hall again. Surrounded by old dusty unused instruments. Beside her was a solo harpist, seventeen years old, much more mature than the last image she'd seen.

"That can't be it?" Hermione blinked again, her eyes trying to refocus themselves. She felt so tired as if she'd been on a long journey. She had seen so much, it was too much to take in at one time.

"No." Abigail said softly, standing solemnly and going over to Hermione. The bushy haired seventh year was filled with so much feelings for this girl. Seeing her life…living it…it was so hard to believe she was dead. "There is more, come back later and we shall finish the chain. It is the only way you can understand." Abigail's dim lavender eyes stared into Hermione's bright brown eyes sadly. Hermione looked away, her eyes catching their reflection in a large mirror across the room. Their resemblance truly was striking. The only difference being their hair, eyes, stance, and clothing. Abigail's reflection was whispery at certain angles if she held her gaze too long, and always surrounded by an eerie aura and Pyreflies.

"I do not get what I am supposed to be seeing." Hermione looked at her.

"You will." Abigail sighed, her voiced sounded so hollow. "Go now Granger, it is not safe tonight at such a late hour. Weasely is worried." Abigail's eyes looked to a large beautiful floor-to-ceiling window on the other side of the Orchestra room. There was a full moon in a starless sky.

"Okay.." Hermione said quietly. "Bye Abigail" she looked back at the door to see the beauty tracing the silver harp that belonged to Richard. Hermione could feel the sadness in her. She left, hearing the heavy doors close behind her.

What was those memories? Richard had been so normal. So human. His skin was not so pale, his eyes had a light behind them. He laughed for real. He was Abigail's friend. It was so confusing. Hadn't those records made him out be like a stalker? Maybe her next visit would hold more answers. She couldn't believe how Richard had been. She longed to know what happened. What caused him to kill her? What caused his decent into darkness? This..Richard she "knew" was almost completely different from the one in those memories. And who was this Roy? Why was he significant? Why wouldn't Richard tell Abigail the reason behind his rejecting her? It was so frustrating having so many questions and no answers..yet.

--

"Hey… where have you been? It is one in the morning."

Hermione looked up to see Ron sitting on the boy's staircase, still in his Quidditch robes. He looked so tired, why had he waited up for her? Such a nice gesture or…?

"I was.." she thought to tell him, but thought better of it. "I was doing something. Understanding.." she muttered.

"Well you had us-well me- worried." His tone made it clear that he was not trying to pick a fight. "You know with all the problems…" he trailed off.

"Yes ..I am sorry." Hermione sat beside him on the steps and awkwardly placed a hand on his shoulder. He allowed it to stay there. "I am sure Ginny is not dead."

"I'm going to bed." Ron got up abruptly. "I will see you tomorrow." He walked up stairs.

Hermione sighed and went to bed, her mind filled with someone else's memories.

--

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_**A/N: yes I know this chapter is insanely long. But it had to be. It took me a while to write it I admit. Chapter 18 concludes the two part chain of memories.**_

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	18. A Beautiful Disaster

_**A/N: Well hello my pretty little ponies. This is the second and last chapter of the "Chain of Memories". I know the last chapter was long. And I'm going to tell ya, this chapter probably is about the same length, if not more so. I highly suggest getting in a comfortable chair, getting a glass of your favorite drink (I recommend Lemonade..yum), getting some chips or something, and using the scroll on your mouse because this chapter is pretty dang long and has a lot of information in it. Well I know that some people don't like reading long chapters well never fear my loves, this chapter will probably be the longest I'll ever write for this story. Eh and maybe the final chapter will probably be kinda long too… Anyway I hope you enjoy reading this and inform me of your thoughts with reviews, how else will I know what you think?**_

_**Sorry for the long updates but it takes time to write these long chapters, and lots of energy. But I should be finished with the story before the seventh book comes to America in July. If not I KNOW it'll be complete before I start my 12**__**th**__** grade year in High School..which is in August.**_

_**Oh also remember. When you see a long line of this: …………………. That means the memory is changing. Remember the memories from the last chapter spanned from their third year to their fourth year. This memory chapter spans from their fifth to seventh year. So yeah that's about it. **_

_**-----**_

_**Chapter 18**_

Beautiful Disaster

Hermione was numb and incomplete. Nothing around her seemed to matter. The faces of people she'd seen everyday suddenly was foreign to her. She thought of nothing but of those memories, she wanted to see the rest, she had to. Unluckily for her, it was days before she got to get away from everyone in order to sneak away.

Ron was paying her more attention that she wanted right now, usually she would be very flattered by such attention, but right now she just wanted him to go away. He'd insisted on her joining him at Quidditch practice this day. She felt bad about not wanting to be around him at the moment, when he probably needed her most. It wouldn't be the first time she'd failed at a moment when he'd needed her most.

She was happy to be outside sure, she hadn't been out on the Hogwarts grounds except for during classes that were taken outside, due to those rules that were in place since Ginny's 'disappearance'. But she wanted even more so to be back in that forgotten room, back inside those memories. She had to find out. She had to understand.

Hermione sat with her knees together, and face propped up on her hands, her eyes following Ron as he flew around on his broomstick. She noticed his skill had been a bit off since Ginny had been missing, yet he hid it well it would seem. But now the entire school knew that it must be Ginny who was the person attacked by an werewolf that no one had even seen on campus. Except she and Ron, and they hadn't told anyone about their incident.

The longer Hermione watched Ron flying around the goal post, blocking with decent skill she began to feel a strange feeling toward him.

His red hair, had grown almost past his shoulders now, and today it was tied into a ponytail, little red strands popping out from the wind speed, soon his hair was down once again for the wind ripped the ponytail holder off.

What was this feeling?

He tucked his loose hair behind his ears and looked over at her, he flashed her a grin.

She place it. It was as if she suddenly disliked him…blamed him..for something. For what? He did nothing wrong right?

He got hit in the face by a Quaffle.

"Watch it Ron" Harry shouted.

Hermione blinked and ran her hands through her bushy hair. Strange….she was startled by it's texture, she'd expected her hands to run right through as if it was silk, not bumble through these bushy curls…odd.

She decided to make good use of this incident. She rose swiftly and left the stands, heading directly for the school without looking back. She doubted Ron would notice if she was just gone for a few moments…

Hermione turned a corner swiftly and came face to face with bright light blue eyes. She was startled and for a moment believed it was someone from the past, how irrational she was being.

"Hi Hermione."

It was Luna. She was smiling at her slightly. Hermione suddenly remembered how she'd treated the girl earlier in the year. Why was she being so nice after the way she'd treated her?

"Luna…look..-"  
"Hey Hermione." Neville said coming from behind Luna.

"Hi..look I have to go..somewhere." Hermione pushed past them and continued on her way.

---

Hermione pushed open the large double doors and walked into the beautifully forgotten music hall. She suddenly felt an odd peace in the room that she had never felt before. It was as if this place was her favorite…weird how she'd never even known of this room before Richard had shown it to her.

"I am glad you returned. I knew you would."

Hermione turned around to see Abigail standing directly behind her, arms crossed, watching her impassively.

"Yes…I have…I want to ..understand." Hermione stumbled, she always felt odd around the girl. Abigail sighed softly and nodded.

"You will..one day. " Abigail walked, more like glided, over to the gold harp-her harp- and sat down.

"I..okay." Hermione said standing in the middle of the room unsure of what to say or do.

"You will see…the rest…the..end.." Abigail said and began to play her harp silently. Hermione watched the girl in awe.

Slowly the scenery changed, the music room was warping into a nighttime setting of the Hogwarts grounds…………………………….

………..The horseless carriages continued steadily towards Hogwarts. It was a very gloomy night the sky full of thick grey clouds.

"I love a night like this." Lumina sighed.

"It's dreary and looks like its going to rain." Ginger stared at Lumina, completely surprised. "Such a lovely night to start our fifth year?!"

"Oh little Ginger, you only see what is directly in front of you." The blond sighed wistfully and gazed unblinkingly at the silent girl in the middle. "Abigail?"

Abigail did not answer. She was thinking about Richard. She hadn't seen him all summer and they hadn't spoken since she'd told him how she felt about him, unless it had been necessary. She'd thought about him all summer, worried she'd ruined everything. She never had worried so much about losing someone's friendship. She..he was different. Perhaps…he was special. She longed to see him again.

"Abigail!" Ginger screamed in her ear, causing her to jump.

"Bloody-" Abigail gasped, Lumina covered her friend's mouth before she finished her words.

"Cursing? Tsk Tsk." Lumina said in a sing-song tone, removed her hand from Abigail's mouth.

Abigail smiled slightly at them. "What is it?

Lumina touched her shoulder gently. Ginger snorted………………………………

……….Abigail rose silently from her harp as the students filed out. She walked over to the black grand piano on the side of the room. The professor left the room on her break.

She ran her fingers across the keys. She suddenly felt the urge to play and sing. There had been a song in her heart for days, she hadn't written it down but she knew.

Abigail sat at the piano and was about to play when the doors opened again. She looked up, Richard had reentered the room.

"Hi Richard." Abigail smiled cheerfully even though her stomach suddenly felt like butterflies. "Come to join me at the piano?" she smiled softly.

Richard frowned slightly. He'd left his music homework assignment behind accidently. He had no intention of playing the piano with her.

Abigail looked hopeful. He hesitated, maybe he'd stay. Then things could just go back to the way they were.

Richard sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine." He walked over and sat at the piano beside her.

"Brilliant!" Abigail hugged him around his neck. "Hey, you play the piano and I'll sing!" she beamed.

"Sure." He smiled in spite of it all. Her smile was so contagious. He stretched his fingers and poised them over the keys. "What are you going to sing?" he looked at her, she was staring at him.

"Oh." Abigail quickly looked away, heat rising in her face. Gah she'd ruin things acting that way. "Um, it's a song that I just made up, play as you see fit, okay." She said.

Richard didn't say anything, he looked down at the keys, his hair falling around his face, he began.

Abigail hummed until she found a part in the music to begin singing. She sung quietly, almost shyly, she usually didn't let others hear her sing. She closed her eyes, trying to allow herself to sing like that fallen angel Richard had compared her to.

A new voice was added to hers, Abigail opened her eyes. Richard's silver eyes were watching her slightly, he was singing. A coy smile on his face. His voice merged and balanced brilliantly with her angelic tone. She smiled gratefully and began to sing louder.

They continued their unwritten duet. To someone listening they would have been brought down to their knees by their voices, or at least that was how Abigail put it.

The last note hung in the air. Abigail smiled at him.

"You're brilliant."

"Yeah I'll say." Richard stood. "I'm going to go." He moved to pick up his work.

"No! Don't go. Let's um…take a walk." Abigail said quickly. She didn't want him to go. Richard blinked.

"Why?" he seemed very aware of what she was trying to do.

"I…missed you is all. Come on." ……………………………………………………..

………………The night sky was very different from what it had been two weeks ago when fourth year had started. It was cloudless and dotted with millions of stars. The night air was cool and the wind danced through the moon lilies causing Pyreflies to go in random directions.

Richard was staring out at the water beyond the cliff. Abigail was running through the moon lilies, Pyreflies chasing her.

"Perhaps you should stop." Richard held out his hand, stopping her from running around him in circles.

Abigail laughed through heightened breathing. "Perhaps.." she sat down amongst the flowers, pulling him down with her.

"Richard, I enjoy this you know? Do you?" Abigail watched him.

Richard's silver eyes connected with hers. "Elaborate."

Abigail hesitated, she did not want to sound as if she was trying to bring it up again.

She placed a moon lilly petal between her fingers and felt its warmth run through her fingers. She always marveled at the way moon lilies' petals were different for each season.

"Well?" Richard watched her expectantly; he tucked his hair behind his ears and checked his watch.

"Forgive me." Abigail looked up and smiled softly. "I was distracted. I meant I enjoy your company."

Richard raised an eyebrow.

"As…just as a friend…of course." Abigail muttered quickly.

"Really? Are you quite certain?" Richard asked. Something in his tone made Abigail look up.

"Yes…?" Abigail said unsurely. What did he mean? Her lavender eyes, clouded with doubt, stared into his. What did he mean? Was he saying what she thought he was?

The waning moonlight illuminated them in an eerily beautiful glow. Abigail reached out and brushed his hair from his face. "What do you-"

The Pyreflies flew around them.

Before either knew what was happening their lips met in a soft kiss……………….

….."Okay that's it" Ginger sat up. "Abigail what is wrong with you?"

Abigail was sitting up in her bed by the window staring out at a full moon with a smile on her face.

Lumina , whose bed was right beside Abigail's, rolled over sleepily and snuggled deeper into her sheets. "Go to bed Ginger, we have classes in the morning."

"Nuh uh. Abigail's been acting all…happy for four weeks and refuses to inform us as of why." Ginger sat up cross-legged in bed, revealing a sheer nightgown.

"Is there something wrong with Abigail's jubilance?" Lumina snuggled into her sheets with a content sigh. "You act like it is rare to see Abigail so happy…" Lumina paused thought fully. "..it _is."_

"So that's my point."Ginger tossed a pillow at Abigail, it hit her in the back of her head.

"Nice throw. Fit to play Quidditch with that arm." Lumina sat up.

Abigail flung it back without turning around and it smacked the blond in the face.

"Oh! Butterscotch! It was not I! It was Ginger!" Lumina rubbed her head. "Pray tell..what is it. I wish to be informed."

Abigail continued to stare at the full moon. She wished to be under it with Richard, not in bed at an logical hour. But he did not want to. She never thought long about it though.

"Abigail Rose I demand you tell us." Ginger hissed.

Lumina rolled out of bed, hitting the floor in a cat-like manner, she crawled over to Abigail's feet which were dangling off the side of her bed.

"Abigail." She pawed at her friend's feet and looked up at her with wide kitten-like pleading eyes.

Abigail looked down and smiled. "Lumina is that necessary?"

"Lumina you are quite a fool." Ginger snorted.

"Pwease tell us?" Lumina pawed at her feet.

"Oh behave." Abigail looked back out of the window. Lumina took one of her feet.

"I will lick it." Lumina threatened.

"No you won't." Abigail continued to stare out of the window. Lumina purred threateningly. Abigail pulled her foot away, she'd forgotten just how crazy her friend could be.

"yes, you broke her down. Tell us." Ginger came over to her bed and sat against the head board. "Is it at total secret?" Ginger closed the deep red curtains around Abigail's four-poster bed. Lumina sat up straight and sat beside Abigail, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"We want to share in your joy." Lumina stated calmly as if she'd never attempted to lick Abigail's foot.

Abigail sat against the window, her back facing the moon. She looked at Ginger, who's eyes were watching her with interest. Should she really tell her? She already knew how Ginger felt about the boy. Her lavender eyes went to Lumina, who was chewing her own hair in deep thought. Lumina would understand right? She always had a more open mind. More positive thoughts. But..sometimes she felt like Lumina was more judgmental than even Ginger but merely kept her opinions to herself. Lumina looked up and gave a sweet smile.

"Well.." Abigail smiled brightly from one to the other. "I have" she smiled even brighter, such lovely news. The girls leaned in with interest. "a boyfriend."

Ginger gasped. Lumina stared, a small smile on her face.

"When did this happen?!" Ginger put her hand to her mouth.

"Who is it?" Lumina smiled quietly.

Abigail hesitated.

"Roy Livingston? I knew it!" Ginger punched the air. Lumina frowned slightly.

"Calm down Ginger. It is not him, that is ridiculous." Abigail chuckled softly.

"Then who?" Ginger blinked. Abigail was silent. Lumina made a small noise.

"That…_Slytherin_?" Ginger suddenly figured it out.

"Richard is his name." Abigail kept her smile on her face.

"I'm going back to bed. Congrats Abigail." Lumina said softly, she moved off the bed and went back to her own.

"You're kidding right?" Ginger frowned.

"No…" Abigail smile slowly faded.

"We're talking about this." Ginger huffily got out of her bed. Abigail sighed and blinked back tears.

"I knew they wouldn't…" she muttered……………………………………………….

……..Abigail did not talk about it anymore with her friends. She refused to answer them whenever they brought it up. Their negative reactions-well Ginger's- and Lumina's odd reaction, only dimmed her happy mood just a little.

Abigail and Richard spent the majority of their time together. It was those moments that brightened Abigail's days. He walked her to class. She always thanked him with a soft kiss on the cheek. They spent most of their evenings, and weekends together in their secluded spot in the gazebo or the cliff near it. They would sometimes sit and talk while he held her in his arms, learning so much about each other. Laughing together. Other times they would merely be silent, just enjoying the other's company, their hands and fingers intertwined. At random moments sometimes she'd tackle him during a walk and kiss him, the Pyreflies would burst from the flowers because they rolled about in them.

The best moments were when they would walk into the great hall together, holding hands. Everyone's eyes on them, and they'd look at each other and that was all they needed to forget the stares.

Even better moments came when they'd kiss under the stars. Those were the moments she _knew_ he cared more for her than anything, and she cared more for him than anyone else. As if their souls had waited so long to finally "meet" in her words.

Abigail loved everything about him. Even though he still was an enigma and sometimes a total question, she did not mind. She didn't pick and pry when he left on certain nights for no reason. She knew he'd tell her if it was necessary right?...

………..The sound of an acoustic guitar could be hard filling the autumn air, accompanying the guitar was a girl singing.

"….and I want to break free, talk to me, I can feel you falling." Abigail sung, her head lying on Richard's shoulder as he played the guitar. She smiled at him as they made music.

The cherry blossom tree's pink and white leaves fell from itself and floated around them. They did not seem to remember or care to remember that they had classes. Until they'd finished the song and realized.

"Oh heavens…I fear we've missed two classes. Oh bother, and I had a test first period." Abigail paced around in circles at the castle doors.

Richard apperated beside her and handed her bags. "Don't worry I am sure they'll let you make it up."

"Oh..I hope so." Abigail took the bags and kissed him on the cheek. "We're already changing classes for third period."

"Well we'd better hurry." Richard pushed open the doors and followed her in.

---

Abigail adjusted her book bag strap and continued to walk through the students. Lumina was following behind her, they were leaving a class they had together, without Ginger.

"You missed two classes Abigail." Lumina stated in her soft tone. There was something hard in her voice.

"I realize that." Abigail adjusted her strap again and continued to walk away coldly. Muttering harsh "excuse me's" to those she bumped into.

"Abigail you can't make mistakes like this. Like being with that boy…it seems, forgive me, that you are being totally out of line."

Abigail felt a new feeling built up inside of her towards Lumina. "I have made no mistake Lumina." Abigail sped up. Lumina did too.

"Perhaps you should consider quitting him? I mean your school work and reputation requires it." Lumina stated.

"_Perhaps _you should _consider_ minding your own business." Lumina caught up as she turned a corner sharply.

Abigail scoffed. "You don't get it at all Lumina. You're supposed to be my friend." She continued to walk faster, her eyes stinging with angry tears. She'd never known Lumina to be so…maybe she was always controlling and snobbish but Abigail had never noticed it.

Lumina touched her shoulder. "I'm your friend."

Abigail jerked her shoulder away and continued briskly down the crowded corridors. Lumina followed

"Abigail this is nonsense."

"Why can't you be happy for me? I know I missed two classes but that isn't what this is about is it?" Abigail was tired of this, they'd treated her this way since she'd told them.

"It is about what is best for you." Lumina stated in her calm voice. It was always like that.

Abigail stopped and rounded on her. She was shocked at the expression on Lumina's face. It did not match her voice. It was a disgusted frown, almost a sneer.

"What is best for me? Or you? Or my father?" Abigail's voice raised slightly. Lumina's usually friendly eyes narrowed.

"You are acting out and making an quite unacceptable scene." She looked around at the students that walked by. That was it.

"I'll show you a scene!" Abigail growled. "Who do you think you are?!"

A few people stopped. Lumina laughed nervously and looked around again.

"I'm your friend." Lumina said lowly, hoping Abigail would lower her tone.

"My FRIEND?!" Abigail's voice continued to rise. "YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS AND HAVE THE GALL TO USE THAT TERM?!"

Students stopped and stared.

"You are acting like a fool. Totally unladylike." Lumina's eyes widened.

"I KNOW THE TRUTH NOW! I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'VE BETRAYED ME! YOU'VE GOTTEN EVERYBODY FOOLED INTO THINKING YOU'RE THIS SWEET PERSON! YOU'RE A JUDGEMENTAL-"

"Abigail calm down." Lumina looked around, a little surprised.

"-DON'T INTERRUPT ME! YOU SHUT UP! YOU SHUT-"

"Abigail." Lumina reached out.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she jerked away. "DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH ME!"

Everyone gasped.

"Abigail stop this madness!" Lumina managed, with a nervous laugh.

Abigail couldn't stop. She was angry, it was about time she let her feelings out. "YOU SHUT UP LUMINA!" she screamed. "DON'T YOU EVER TALK TO ME AGAIN!" she turned on her heel and began to storm away. Someone grabbed her by the shoulder.

"GO AWAY _BITCH_!" Abigail swung around, her want was pointed at Lumina's chest.

Everyone stood still. Abigail did not look at the girl, she turned away and left the hall with dignity………………………………………………………………………………..

……..She did not have to tell Richard what had happened. He'd already heard. In fact the entire school had.

"Hey stranger."

Abigail stopped, leaning casually against the portrait hole was Ginger. Abigail sighed inwardly, she had successfully avoided them for two and a half weeks since that "horrid display of aggression" as a letter from her parents had said.

"Hello Ginger." Abigail put on her typical fake smile. It was so much easier to smile that to let others see what you were thinking.

"Hey. You just returned from patrols." Ginger eyed her with a perceptive expression.

"Yes." Abigail said, true tonight she'd actually patrolled with Roy, and Richard with that Slytherin girl, instead of skiving off.

"Hmph, some prefect you are." Ginger scoffed, looking at Abigail's prefect badge.

"Excuse me?" Abigail frowned slightly.

"What? You've got more fuse even after your little explosion?" Ginger looked up at the fat lady's sleeping portrait. Abigail crossed her arms and shook her long brown hair from her shoulders.

"What?"

"Oh you know." Ginger scoffed. "The way you treated dear sweet Lumina a few weeks ago."

Abigail did not answer her, just tried to awaken the fat lady.

"That was totally uncalled for Abigail." Ginger stood in her way of the portrait hole, her arms crossed. Abigail glared down at her.

"Get out of my way please."

"Ooh I'm so scared. You think just because you're running around with that filthy Slytherin that you're too much eh?" Ginger sneered nastily.

"No." Abigail was beginning to get angry. "I think you are jealous."

"Jealous?!" Ginger scoffed. "Of what?! Ha! That you finally got a little taste of what it's like to have a boy?"

Abigail frowned. "Well we all know you've had multiple tastes of what it's like eh? You're a harlot."

Ginger's eyes widened. "I am-"

"Yeah you don't like it do you? When someone tells you what they think? When usually they just sit by and take your bull. I said it. You are a bloody slut. Look at how you wear your skirts." She indicated Ginger's really short uniform skirt. "And your buttons always half undone. Always with a new lad every night? Probably lost your flower to the entire Quidditch team at the same time. Those guys wouldn't even want a mop like you if you weren't friends with me." Abigail said before she could stop herself.

Ginger's eyes showed hurt. "How dare you talk to me like that. You are glad we are even your friends. Bitch, you're stuffy, dull, and a Mary-Sue. And I am no whore, you are. Who knows what you and that dirty blood Slytherin have been doing?" she stepped toward Abigail, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm actually a student here. You're just 'the minister's kid'. You're fake as hell and you say some bullshit like that to me again I'll beat the hell out of you."

Abigail's hand went hard across Ginger's face causing her to fall. "I HATE YOU!" she kicked Ginger hard in the side and left down the corridor, leaving the red head on the floor……..

…………..Abigail was alone, except for being with Richard, and she was happy for the first time completely. Sure she felt slightly bad about how she'd treated them. But she was so fed up with it all. Richard never brought up the incidents and for that she was glad. Richard treated her normally, respected her, and actually listened to her instead of pretending to. She was lucky they were friends. Happier that they were together. When she cried into his chest he let her, and then wiped away her tears. Would that be so much to ask that others would treat her with such care instead of just like "the minister's child." All these times she'd been so nice to them and they did not care at all about her. Had Ginger and Lumina even actually liked her? Or was it merely for appearances?

She glanced down at the Gryffindor from her lone spot at the end of the table. Ginger and Lumina were laughing and talking with others, not once did they look her way. Had she faded into their back ground like a piece of yesterday? Was she really that easy to discard? She looked away and over at the Slytherin table. Richard had gotten up and was walking toward her.

"Come on lets go." Richard said softly. She nodded silently and stood.

They left, everyone's eyes following them out. Richard took her hand as they exited into the corridors. She looked over at him and smiled slightly. He was the only one to bother to understand her……………………………………………………………………..

……….Abigail silently waited for Roy near the stairs of the North Tower. He was taking an unnecessarily long time searching every corner of the tower.

"Roy. I have homework to finish. Shall you hasten?" Abigail said politely as possible.

"You just want to snog that guy." Roy snorted, he glanced at her.

"Not true. I actually have homework." Abigail refrained from rolling her eyes.

"Abigail, tell me something." Roy suddenly said, walking over to her. "Are we still…….friends?" he looked away from her. He usually was so sure of himself..never when he was with her. He scratched his red hair.

"No." Abigail stated bluntly. She always felt that was the right answer. How could they possibly be?

Roy looked at the ground. "Why?"

Abigail blinked. "Why? My word you are quite a piece of work. You don't even talk to me anymore."

There it was. It was out there.

Roy laughed uncomfortably. "That's..not true."

Abigail stared at him. "That is very true. You only talk to me on patrols and then it's only a few words." She crossed her arms.

"Well.." Roy looked up at her.

"I mean you suddenly stopped talking to me Roy. Right before we started this school. That was five years ago Roy. We're fifteen now…a lot has come about. The nerve of you to even ask." Abigail kept her tone civil.

"I know, but I had a reason." Roy looked at her, she adverted her eyes. "because suddenly I began to…" he took her hands. Abigail tensed unpleasantly and eyed him with confusion, her lavender eyes searching his face. "Fall in love with you…and I didn't know how to tell you, so I just stopped talking to you."

Abigail wasn't expecting that. She blinked.

"You..what?" she barely said.

"I love ya. I mean we're perfect together. You're the minister's daughter, I'm captain among other things. "He smiled. "And I love ya, so you can leave that other guy. You succeeded in making me completely jealous."

Abigail stared at him incredulously. "Are you serious?!" she pulled her hands away. "I'm leaving. You are quite little compared to Richard. You are so immature." She left before the boy could utter another word…………………………………………………………………..

……….As the year wore on, Abigail and Richard spent the majority of their time together. Lumina and Ginger never spoke to her or even looked her way, and she was fine with it even though sometimes she feared they had forgotten her.

"What are you thinking about?" Richard asked in his caring quiet tone.

They were sitting against the large old oak tree near the lake that she and her friends used to always be under. They spent their fifteen minute breaks out here to be peacefully alone without having to worry about the others being outside.

"Everything, Richard." Abigail lay her head on his shoulder. He put an arm around her shoulder. She smiled softly, even though his gestures were small she loved being in his warm arms.

"And what is everything? You are going to elaborate?" he asked, his silver eyes scanning the calm lake.

"You'll just figure out what I'm going to say anyway." Abigail laughed softly. "You know me so well."

"Perhaps." Richard chuckled softly.

"Remember how we met?" Abigail looked up at him, taking her head from his shoulder.

"Yes." Richard said looking at her.

"Did you think I was irritating?" she'd always wondered that.

"Yes." Richard smirked. "But not by much. Not at all honestly. Just…unhappy persay." Richard said. "And extremely chipper like a drunkened bunny." He added with a grin.

"Bah! You are bad!" Abigail punched him softly on the arm. He feigned pain.

"Clearly." He smirked. Abigail felt a new feeling, and on an impulse she pulled him to her and crushed their mouths together in a kiss, the kiss deepened.

---

"Shall I go in first or you?" Richard asked. The couple was standing on either side of the large doors of the orchestra hall, music was streaming out of the doors.

"You. I can't believe we are bloody late." Abigail said adjusting her bag.

"Oh forgive me." Richard said tossing his hair slightly.

"Oh no, it wasn't your fault." Abigail came to him. "It was I who was suddenly enraptured with such a feeling to kiss you like that. Thus it made us late for class by ten minutes." She tilted his face to hers and kissed him again, pushing him against the door. He gently pushed her off him, his cheeks slightly red.

"Abby, we are late enough for our favorite class." He held her at arms length, fearing she would attempt to jump on him again. "What would it look like if we feel through the doors snogging?"

"Bloody brilliant and hilarious." Abigail said. Richard raised an amused eyebrow.

"And it would cause and unnecessary scene Abby." He chuckled.

"Go in Richard." Abigail pushed the door open, cleverly hidden behind it and shoved him in.

Richard calmly walked to his instrument, keeping his head down mostly to hide the smile on his smile behind his hair. He sat at his harp, put his books down and fell into the song, which was one of his favorites.

The door opened again a few minutes later and Abigail entered gracefully, he looked up and smiled. She returned the almost invisible smile and sat at her harp and fell in tune with Richard and the rest of the orchestra……………………………………………………..

……..Students rolled their luggage toward the red Hogwarts Express. Once again it was the end of yet another year. Some hugged, others laughed as they boarded the train.

Abigail hugged Richard tightly. "I loved this year." She looked up at him.

"Likewise." Richard brushed her silky brown hair from her face and leaned in. She stood on her tip toes and their lips brushed gently.

"Have a lovely summer, I would say but it seems all so cliché." Abigail giggled. Richard smiled at her jubilant attitude. Such a nice change from those fake smiles he used to see on her face.

The whistle on the train blew, startling them from their moment. Quickly they boarded the train and watched the platform speed away.

"Can't wait for another year I must admit." Abigail sighed and leaned into his embrace…

…………."We're sixth years now." Abigail sighed wistfully and stared through the overhanging branches at the beautiful crescent moon.

"Yes only one more year." Richard spoke softly from behind her, his breath tickling her ear. She leaned back on him as he sat against the large oak tree by the lake and closed her eyes.

"Just one more, then we'll leave." She put his arms around her. "Then what?"

"I do not know. Perhaps we shouldn't think that far?" Richard said.

Abigail had already done that. Since the day she'd told him her feelings, she'd found herself dreaming of the future with him. She'd even went so far as to design her wedding dress one day while sketching at home, she'd already planned out how many children she wanted with him and their names.

Richard let out a low whistle. "Oh heaven, do not tell me you have. I fear just how far you've thought." He chuckled warmly.

Abigail felt heat rise in her face. "You say that as if you do not." She looked back slightly at him, her lips pouting.

"Maybe I do." Richard said softly kissing her lips and grinning slyly.

"Really?" she leaned against him again. He began to absentmindedly caress her hair. She closed her eyes and sighed contently.

"I'm glad we have each other. I wish everyone could just see how happy we are. They don't understand." Abigail said watching Pyreflies rise into the air from behind the shaded area of the vines. Abigail noted that everything-the cherry blossom tree, secluded gazebo area and cliff, and the Quidditch field- could all be seen at a decent vantage point from this oak tree.

"Does it matter what they think Abby? They will never understand until they are captured by such a feeling."

Abigail agreed. They sat in content silence, watching the lights of Hogwarts go out one by one. Abigail knew he cared not because of his elusive and beautiful words. But because his eyes would say it. His silver eyes could tell her anything even when he was lying. He could lie well- it came with being a Slytherin- but not to her. And right when she looked back at her silent boyfriend, she could tell that he cared for her more than he let on. She might not ever understand him, but she did love him………………………………………………………………..

……Abigail had grown comfortable with Richard's unexplainable absences on certain nights. She'd always never asked him because she knew he merely was a person who did not really reveal much about himself. But upon recently she had become curious. As the school year wore on in fact she'd begun to notice a pattern. He always looked a bit sick during the days that he'd become missing in acting during the nights. There was another pattern as well…but she couldn't quite figure it out.

"Something on your mind?"

Abigail jumped. She'd forgotten she was sitting in the library with Richard. He was watching her silently waiting for an answer.

"Hmm?"

"You've been staring at the same page for several moments. Something is on your mind." Richard, Abigail noted, always had a tendency to state questions as an undeniable statement. He blinked his silver eyes and waited for her to speak.

"Oh yes..I was." Abigail looked at her book and began reading again. Richard let it go and went back to his work.

They worked in silence, the only sounds being quill scratching parchment and occasional annoyed noises from Richard when he couldn't think of something to write. Abigail thought that was so cute.

Soon they finished their work and began their way out of the library. They walked down the virtually empty corridor in comfortable silence, thought Abigail felt like it was exactly the opposite.

"Okay what is it?" Richard stopped and walked in front of her, towering over her even more so than last year.

He crossed his arms, and looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Well…I was thinking about you." She flushed slightly. Richard wore a strange expression.

"What about?" his black hair fell slightly into his face, he didn't bother to move it, so Abigail reached up and tucked it behind her ears, though a few strands lingered.

"Well." Abigail adjusted her straps on her bag. "About where you go unexplainably-"

"I see. It doesn't matter." Richard turned away and began walking again.

"Yeah it does." Abigail walked beside him. "It matters to me. You have me worried."

Richard scoffed. "You needn't."

"Well..are you going to tell me?" Abigail asked softly. He would right?

"No."

"Why?!" Abigail gasped.

"Because it doesn't concern you." Richard glanced over at her.

"It does! I mean I have the right to know."

Richard raised his eyebrows skeptically. "And where did you get that logic?" he continued to walk.

"Richard tell me!" she was pretty sure she was being shrill.

"Quit asking Abby. It doesn't have anything to do with you." Richard rolled his eyes, he was annoyed with her.

"How can you say that? It does!" Abigail's eyes watered.

Richard sighed. "You are not going to cry are you?" he sounded tired now.

"No.." Abigail held her irritating tears in. "Why don't you tell me?"

"It's best if I do not." He said not looking at her. "You wouldn't understand."

"I might!" Abigail put a hand on his shoulder. Was it so wrong to ask?!

"You won't. I'm not telling you. I'd lie to you instead, and I'd rather not lie to you Abby. Just let it go okay." He pried her hand off his shoulder. "I will see you later after you calm down." He left.

Abigail ran her hands through her hair. Could that be counted as their first argument?...

…………..Abigail watched everyone pair off in Herbology, except her, people were too afraid to ask her for fear or rejection. Abigail watched Lumina waiting on the other side of the room for a partner, no one ever asked her because everyone thought she was strange.

Lumina looked up at her and quickly looked away. Abigail wished Ginger was in this class to be partner with Lumina but that red head was ill today. Abigail believed she was skiving off with her new boyfriend.

"Miss Rose, will you and Miss Angelwhisper be partners?" the professor asked with an impatient sigh.

Abigail said a small yes and went to sit by Lumina. She hadn't spoken to the girl since that argument last year.

They worked in silence, only speaking when necessary. Abigail missed her. She wanted to say something.

"It's fine." Lumina muttered as she clipped the nails of the Salikaroot. The plant flinched, it hated being primed.

"What?" Abigail blinked.

Lumina shrugged solemnly and continued to clip nails. Abigail held the Salikaroot still. It dawned on Abby what Lumina meant.

"I am sorry Lumina, forgive me?" Abigail watched the blond. "I..I was…"

"I know. Little Miss Mary Sunshine had a bad day. And..you were right."

Abigail was silent. "Was I?"

"Yes. I have seen." Lumina continued her work, looking over at Abigail once or twice. "I forgive you. But can you forgive me?"

Could she?

"I will. ..I do….but can you accept that I will never leave him?"

Lumina was silent for a moment. Abigail scoffed and held the Salikaroot tightly making it squeal.

"I will have to, you are happy with..him.."

"Good."……………………………………………………………………………..

………..The crowd stood up and screamed. Abigail and Lumina clapped hands happily while Ginger watched from Lumina's other side with her newest boyfriend.

"Gryffindor beats Slytherin fifty to thirty!" the commentator, a boy hufflepuff, screamed.

"I'll bet your boyfriend will be might sore about that one." Lumina chuckled softly.

"No. Richard finds little interest in Quidditch." Abigail screamed over the crowed.

"Or so he says!" Lumina shook pompoms in her face. Abigail watched the Quidditch teams land. The two captains shook hands. Roy being Gryffindor's.

"He's great at what he does."

Lumina looked at Lumina, she too was watching the team happily celebrate while Slytherin left the field solemnly. Lumina was watching them…no mostly Roy. He slapped the seeker on the back happily and moved his sweaty red hair from his face. Did …Lumina?

Roy suddenly looked directly their way, his eyes landed on Abigail. He looked away.

"Hmph." Lumina muttered.

---

Abigail was last to leave the stands, Richard would be waiting by the stadium gates on her.

"So..did you like that?"

Abigail stopped and turned around. "Hello Roy Livingston." He was coming out of the locker room. Still in his Quidditch robes, his hair tied back, a smug grin on his face. "Like what? The game." She asked.

"Heck yes. We made Slytherin our bitch!" Roy approached her, broom bouncing over his shoulder.

"Must you speak in such vulgar tones?" Abigail wrinkled her nose.

"Sorry, princess." He caught up with her.

"You are a good keeper and captain." Abigail looked up at the tall gold goal posts. "But you have a horrible ego. It's dangerous."

"Thank you for the compliment." He shot her a smile. She smiled slightly, only slightly.

"Abigail." He caught her by the hand. "We need to talk."

"Why?" Abigail looked at his hand on hers and pulled it away.

Roy sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He looked so unsure. Abigail couldn't just walk away. She stood there waiting.

"Abigail I love you."

Abigail's breath caught in her chest. "What?!"

"I know. I know, you don't care. But….I wish I would have been mature enough to tell you my feelings instead of avoiding you."

Abigail didn't know what to say. He truly did she could tell from how his pompous facade slightly faded.

"Roy.." she unsurely placed a hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry but. You really hurt me when you suddenly stopped talking to me and acted as if I wasn't there."

He looked at her, towering over her as her own boyfriend did but in a more dominating manner. "I know. Let me make it up to you."

Roy took her boy the shoulders and leaned in-

Abigail pushed him away. "Roy. I don't love you. We can be friends. Nothing more. Ever. " she quickly left………………………………………………………….

…….Rain poured hard on the roof of the gazebo. Abigail and Richard watched it from inside the gazebo. Abigail agreed that the night was hauntingly beautiful with the rain.

"Hey!" a bright idea suddenly popped into Abigail's mind. "Lets!-"

"We are not playing in the rain." Richard laughed slightly at the expression on her face.

"Aww come on. You made me go in a lake and meet creepy merpeople. I just want to dance in the rain. It's FUN!" she tugged him out of the gazebo into the downpour. They were instantly soaked. She ran around laughing, pulling Richard with her through the moonlilies. Pyreflies danced around them as their laughs echoed through the air.

Abigail snuck up behind him. She planned to hop on his back. Richard quickly turned around and instead chased her.

"Oh!" she laughed running around the area and laughing. Rain falling into her mouth. Richard caught her around the waist and spun her around, her feet off the ground. They both fell into the moonlilies laughing.

They lay in the rain, trying to stop giggling. Abigail watched him, he looked over at her, his wet hair falling in tendrils across his face. Those silver eyes were so beautiful to her.

" I guess you were right." He chuckled softly, moving her brown strands from her face.

"Aren't I always." She moved over closer to him and brushed his hair from his handsome face.

"I think you are." He smirked.

Abigail pecked him on his lips unexpectedly and she was pleased to see his cheeks become slightly red.

"You're so adorable." She laughed. He rolled his eyes.

Her eyes fell on a particular moonlilie. It was between them. Its petals were semi-transparent and the crescent leaves had come together to shape like a heart. She reached out with the intent to pluck it from the ground and give it to him. Richard's hand caught hers. She looked at him.

"You shouldn't do that." He stated looking down at the lily.

"Why?"

"Because it'll never grow back. Moonlilies only thrive in the moon…it will _never_ grow back." He said.

Abigail felt a bit stupid for not knowing this. "Oh.You're so smart."

Richard didn't say anything more, he just stared up at the moon and watched Pyreflies float over them. Those entities were so interesting.

Abigail snuggled close to him, laying her head on his chest and intertwining their fingers.

"Richard?" she stared in his face. His eyes turned to her warmly.

"Yes Abby?"

"I love you."...

………Richard had decided to take Abigail's books back to the library. He'd expected to be done with task in about five minutes. What he did not expect was to run into Roy who was on his way out.

"Excuse you Slytherin." Roy said, he was holding a pocket-sized book.

"You are in _my_ way. Richard said watching the boy like he was a very boring play.

"Whatever-"

Richard took Roy's book from his hand and scanned the cover. "What is this? _The lost heart's guide to romance: how to win them in 10 days? _"Richard scoffed.

"Give it back Slytherin." Roy snatched it back from his hand.

Richard chuckled softly to himself. "Is that an attempt for what is not yours? Quite sad really."

Roy glared at him. Richard laughed sardonically.

"You don't deserve her."Roy sneered.

"I suggest you stay away from Abby. I am not always this nice." Richard didn't have the time or patience to talk to the boy. He glided past him.

"I want a duel. For her. A duel." Roy blurted.

Richard stopped and turned around slowly. "Is that a challenge?"

"Damn right it is!"

"So be it." Richard said, a small smile playing on his lips…………………………………

…………..The stadium lay in semi-darkness. Two boys stood on the grass facing each other. Silver eyes locked onto blue eyes. Nearby was a black boy, Roy's best friend and fellow Quiddtich team mate. He was the red head's second.

"Where's your second Blackheart?" Roy asked, untying his long red hair and pulling out his wand.

"I don't need one. I can handle you alone." Richard said pulling his robes from his wand and pointing it at the Gryffindor. "And your little friend."

The other boy scoffed but otherwise said nothing.

"And I thought _I _was egocentric." Roy laughed and looked over at his friend. The boy laughed slightly. "You should have brought Abigail long for the show. I'm sure she'd love to see you lose."

Richard looked up at the sky, the moon was waning. "Livingston, that embarrassing book you had in your possession proves that you understand ladies not at all. Abby had no desire.." he tossed his long black hair from his eyes. "to watch your horrid display of testosterone. Or so she said. Now then. Shall we begin? I grow tired of this mindless idle chitchat." He spun his wand around his fingers.

"Then lets go!" Roy shouted a spell, light bursting forth from his wand. Richard stood there and watched the spell reflect back on Roy, sending him flying backward a few feet.

"Whoa! He didn't even say a spell!" the friend rushed over to Roy and helped him up.

Richard smiled at the boy sardonically. "That is because, unlike you too lazy morons, I can cast without saying it outloud. Bloody brilliant way to confuse your opponent, instead of giving him a chance to counter-"

Roy sent another spell his way angrily. It flew back at him knocking him once again off his feet.

"Meet _Reflectega _It sends spells back to the caster." Richard calmly waited for Roy to stand again.

"Maybe we should quit." His friend said.

"No. I'm going to wipe that smug-" Roy watched his as his wand was flung from his hand by an invisible force.

"Maybe you should listen to your follower. Save yourself the humiliation." Richard couldn't help but feel a bit enjoyment out of this. Roy already annoyed him, and then Abigail told him what Roy had tried to do to her. Sure this duel was pointless, Roy would not get anything out of this win or lose, but he just wanted to.

"I'm going to win this, move aside Derrick." Roy growled and stood again.

"Stopped being a brat about it now?" Richard laughed in a virulent manner.

"I got your brat!"

The field was lit up by an array of colors and bangs as Roy bellowed spell after spell at Richard. When the smoke cleared-

"Done having a tantrum are we?" Richard smirked. Roy's frustration was a bit funny.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Roy shouted. Before Richard could react, his wand flew out of his hand and landed several feet away. "LUXORDAMOUS!"

Richard was thrown back into the base of the stands. Richard blinked the stars out of his eyes and stood.

"How do you like that!!!" Roy shouted and clapped hands with Derrick, his friend.

Roy was suddenly thrown off his feet and lifted into the air.

"I don't need a wand direct my magic Roy." Richard's eyes followed Roy's flailing body get tossed into t stands. Richard held out his hand and his wand flew back into his palm. "You're lucky I was distracted. It won't happen again." Richard waved his wand through the air. Roy was engulfed in a red light and his body flung repeatedly through the goal posts. "How many points is that hmm? Ten? Twenty? Thirty?!" he waved his wand again and Roy was flung into the goal post making it vibrate with impact.

Roy landed on his friend in a heap.

Richard strolled over to them and bent down, snatching Roy by the collar. The boy had a nosebleed at worse. "You stay away from her Roy. Move on okay. It's pitiful." Richard let him fall back onto his friend unceremoniously. Then he left…………………………………..

…….Abigail watched the scenery rush by as the train began to move.

"Another year." She smiled over at Richard who was sitting beside her, she put her hand on his.

"Yes. Another." Richard agreed, intertwining their fingers. The train began to pick up speed. Abigail stared out of the window. She couldn't help but feel like this would be her last time leaving school on this train.

"Oh hi!.."

Abigail looked up. Lumina was standing at the compartment door, hands humbly in front of her. Abigail smiled, since their talk she and Lumina had went remotely back to normal.

"Hi Lumina. Where's Ginger?"

"Putting up the Luggage." Lumina entered the compartment and sat across from them. She smoothed back her blond hair in its curly ponytail then placed her hands in her lap.

Abigail tried to think of something to say. "This is Richard.."

"I know." Lumina's eyes landed on Richard and she smiled brightly. "I'm Lumina Angelwhisper, my friends call me Lumina or Lumi. Or Nana. Or-"

"Hi." Richard raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to be so sickeningly nice you know."

Lumina sighed with relief. "Well okay." She stared out of the window.

They sat in uncomfortable silence.

"A dark cloud hovers over the horizon of tomorrow." Lumina muttered.

"You see it too?" Richard looked at the girl.

Abigail watched them, she had no idea what they were talking about, but she was glad they were having some sort of conversation.

"Yes." Lumina nodded at him. Richard was silent. "Something is going to come about. Forever will never be the same."

Lumina sighed and stood. "I will go to Ginger. Nice talking to you."

Richard and Abigail watched her leave. Abigail went back to staring out of the window, smiling, waiting anxiously……………………………………………………………………..

……..Abigail did not have the summer she'd wanted. Her parents had found out somehow about her boyfriend and demanded she break up. She agreed to it only to make her parents happy but she was not going to obey that wish. It was the first time she'd ever done that and she felt horribly great about it. Her mind was reeling a lot as well. Even more so than ever. She couldn't wait to graduate and move far away from her family. Maybe she'd go to the states.

"Abigail?" Lumina's voice called her. She didn't answer she hoped the girl would believe she was asleep. Soon she heard Lumina's soft steady breathing and knew she was asleep. Abigail's lavender eyes stared at the mystifying full moon. It made her feel think of her boyfriend Richard.

She'd been losing sleep for she never ceased to think of him. Since the seventh year started he'd seemed different. He was even more silent than usual, his eyes seemed distant, and sometimes sad. He was even more cynical than usual. She didn't ask why because she feared he didn't not wish to tell her. She worried and wanted to make him feel better.

Abigail felt wetness on her pillow. She was crying, her tears illuminated in the moonlight.

"Silly me, crying. And for what?" she slid from bed and looked out of the window. A figure on the grounds far below caught her eye as the clouds covered the moon. The figure was walking weakly toward the school. "I need sleep. I'm seeing things." She laughed to herself and crawled back into bed…………………………………………………………………………

……………..Abigail had to patrol alone one night. Roy had claimed to have Quidditch practice. Richard, Abigail assumed, was patrolling with the Slytherin head girl.

She hugged her cloak to herself as she stepped out onto the North Tower, her last stop for the night. The fall air stung her cheeks and made them redden.

She glanced over the tower and then looked to the sky. Another amazing full moon. It seemed so close that she felt that if she dared to reach out she could touch it. Her eyes scanned the sky. There it was her favorite constellation: the castle in the sky.

Abigail suddenly looked down over the grounds. She gasped. What was that?! A strange black creature was going across the grounds.

"My heavens." Abigail quickly got the nearest telescope and peered through it, closing in on the creature. Her breath caught in her chest. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Isn't that…a werewolf?"……………………………………………………………………………………

………It was afternoon. Richard was sitting alone at the secluded area, near the edge of the cliff, his head down, hair covering his face.

Abigail silently approached him from behind. She sat down beside him and looked over the moonlilies. During the day they closed up and the Pyreflies were scarce.

She stared at Richard for the moment. His silver eyes stared into the calm sea, that occasionally flung itself against the jagged rocks below. She slid her hand over his silently.

"Richard?"

He looked up at her. "Hi." He looked away across the sea at the horizon.

Abigail sighed. She had to say She'd been running herself insane with worry for him. He seemed so distant and closed off now. What happened over summer? She opened her mouth to speak. "Are you ready for the music competition? I bet you'll win. I'm not that good…not as good as you at least."

Richard made a "Hmm" noise to show that he was listening. Too bad that's not what she'd meant to say.

"I know none of the harpists from those French, German, Italian, African, and American schools are as good as you."

"Clearly." Came his short dull reply. Abigail sighed inwardly.

"I can see that trophy standing proud in a glass case in the trophy hall. It'll say "_Richard Blackheart Outstanding Achievement in Music"_ Abigail continued brightly, hoping her happy demeanor would rub off on him.

"Yeah." He sighed and looked up at the sky. Abigail silently looked away from him and stared at a closed Moonlily nearby. Finally she broke the silence.

"Richard what is it? I can't stand seeing you so…dark and be-gloomed so." She turned his face to hers. "Please tell me."

Richard turned his face away. "Do you not know? Did you not hear the news? Read the paper? It was there."

Abigail had no idea what he meant. She usually kept up with current events but she had went on vacation to the Caribbean and wasn't able to read much of anything.

"I'm sorry. No…I had been in the Caribbean-"

"They are dead. Murdered." Richard said silently.

"Who?" Abigail gasped.

"Lyndsay and my parents."

Abigail didn't know what to say. Tears sprang up in her eyes. "I'm …so sorry." She put her arms around him and held him close. He didn't say anything, just allowed himself to be held.

"It was my fault." Richard suddenly pulled away from her. "They don't know." He sighed and ran his hands through is hair.

"No it wasn't, love." Abigail hated how he was blaming himself.

"They say-the muggles- that it was a mysterious murder. The Wizards know that is not true. It was me." He sounded so hollow. Abigail wanted to hold him until all the pain went away. She couldn't even imagine how it felt to lose a loved one but she could feel his pain sort of. It was like their souls were connected..or maybe she'd just read too many books on Soulmates.

"Why do you keep saying that?" Abigail touched his hand. He pulled it away.

"You don't understand." He muttered.

"Well let me! Tell me. Don't you dare push me away." Abigail watched him, his hair fell in his face blocking her view.

They sat in silence.

"Richard…" it had finally dawned on her. "Where do you go on _fullmoons?_" she waited for him to answer.

Richard looked at her, his silver eyes stared pointedly into hers. Abigail's lavender eyes widened.

"You're.." she couldn't finish.

"Yes." Richard got up abruptly. "I won't fault you for leaving." He ran his hands through his hair again. "This is why I didn't want to get involved with you. I knew this would happened if we got to close. Yes, your boyfriend is a werewolf. If you want to leave fine. I'll live." He turned away and began to leave.

Abigail stood. "I'll never leave. I'm here forever." She turned him around and took both of his hands. She looked pointedly into those eyes that she always enjoyed getting lost in. "What would you do without annoying little me right?" she smiled softly. A small, almost invisible smile graced his lips briefly. "Explain it so I may understand." She sat back down and placed her hands in her lap. Richard sighed and sat beside her.

"Tell me?" she took his hands. They were sitting face to face, both in Indian style. "How did…it happen and when?" she caressed his hands lovingly.

Richard sighed. "Before my eleventh birthday." He looked off at the vines concealing the area. He'd heard something rustle. "My..father."

"But..he's a muggle."

"So? He was bitten when he was around twenty." Richard sighed again.

"Oh I'm so sorry." Abigail said softly.

"It's not your fault Abby. It's mine." He took his hands from hers and stood. "I'm a freak." He muttered and scoffed, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Richard! Don't talk about yourself that way!" Abigail got up quickly and grabbed his hand. "You are _not_ a freak! You are as normal as I am. Do not do that Richard. You're just…unlucky."

"I killed them Abigail! I'll hurt everyone that means something to me!" Richard pulled his hands away. "Go away before I end up killing you too."

Abigail's eyes filled with tears. "Richard I'll never go away. I love you. Why do you keep saying you killed them? You didn'-"

"I was the only one not hurt." His voice wavered. That hurt her more than anything.

"Richard…"

"Don't feel sorry for me. I killed my youngest sister and my parents. It's the only thing that makes sense. I can't remember anything before I regained consciousness on the foyer floor. It was a full moon that night. I killed them." He pulled away from her and walked away.

Abigail couldn't argue that. But she was sure his family wouldn't blame him. From what she'd read, when a person was a werewolf they weren't in control. They could see but no distinguish. They were just a blood-lusting wild animal. It was _not_ his fault.

"Richard it isn't your fault!" Abigail sprinted up to him once again and grabbed his hand. "I'm sure they're in a better place. And you are not alone. You have your other family. And you have me, forever." Abigail turned him around. "You're not getting rid of me Richard." She sniffed and smiled weakly. "You always wipe away my tears. Shun my fears. Held me when I was weak. You made me stronger. You always were there during my darkest hours." She brushed back his hair and held his face lovingly. "Now it's time for me to be there for you."

She wrapped her arms around him tightly. Slowly and silently he put his arms around her too……………………………………………………………………………………………..

………..Abigail spent several weeks and the majority of her free time with her nose buried in thick confusing brooks from the restricted section. With Lumina's help she finally believed she'd done it.

Abigail handed a small valve full of thick silverfish-blue liquid to Richard. He stared at it with a raised eyebrow.

"What is this?"

They were sitting in the gazebo, shielding generally from the harsh budding autumn air.

"It's a potion. It doesn't have a name." Abigail beamed proudly.

"O..kay." Richard blinked. "What do you mean it has no name?" he wore a perplexed frown.

"Because." She beamed even brighter.

"You're going to blind me with that smile."

"Oh!" Abigail giggled. "Since you must know. It has no name because I-with Lumina's assistance and extensive knowledge of weird things- created this potion."

"Brilliant. What does it do?" Richard took the valve from her hand and examined it.

"Well.." Abigail smiled. "It's for you.."……………………………………………

……….Trees of the Forbidden forest moved gently in the autumn wind. A _full moon_ hung high in the sky, many stars dancing in the air with hit. The moonlight cast two people's shadows across the grounds.

Abigail tightened her grip on his hand and smiled up at those lovely silver eyes.

"I'm glad. Now you can be normal on full moons. This is the best night of my life." Abigail stood on her tiptoes and kissed him happily. "I swear you get taller every year."

Richard smiled. It was h is first real smile all year. "Thank you."

As long as he took it a day before the first full moon he'd be prevented _completely _from turning into such a beast for the entire stint of the full moon until it began to wane and become crescent……………………………………………………………………………………….

……..Abigail took notes with interest in class. She was listening fervently to the professor. She looked up from the desk and noticed Roy watching her with a small smirk. She quickly looked away and turned her eyes back to the teacher. She tucked her hair behind her ears and continued to work.

Abigail suddenly dropped her quill. "Darn." She muttered bending down beneath the desk to get it. There she came face to face with Roy, he handed her quill to her.

"Abigail." He leaned close to her ear and whispered. "I know your boyfriend's little secret." He patted her on the shoulder and went back to his desk leaving Abigail there in silent shock……………………………………………………………………………………………………..It was officially winter and a festive chill dangled in the air. Everything was covered in a thick blanket of snow. Abigail could finally understand why Richard said his favorite season was winter.

"The ice maiden does her dance again." Lumina sighed sleepily staring out of the window at the swirling snow.

"In English?" Ginger snorted and looked on Lumina's homework for the answers.

Across the common room nearby at a smaller table was Abigail. Her quill between her teeth, he mind wandering. She stared at the roaring fireplace. Two comfortable armchairs were near it. In one of the armchairs was a fifth year couple cuddled up in their own little world. She imagined it was she and Richard cuddled up by that amazing fireplace.

"Abigail?" Lumina called. "Aren't you glad that the senior winter ball is coming up?"

Abigail left her thoughts and looked over at Lumina. The back of Ginger's red head was facing her. They hadn't spoken in a long time. "Oh yes. I was quite pleased when it was announced."

Lumina nodded. "Your date is Bambi?"

Abigail chuckled. "Richard wanted me to tell you, by the way, to stop calling him Bambi or he'd be forced to hex you in graphic ways."

Lumina's blue eyes crinkled with a smile. "Awww. Well I have a date too. He automatically asked me."

Abigail looked on with interest. "Oh who?"

"I can not say."

"Lumina just tell me." Ginger grumbled.

Abigail smiled. Even if Ginger wouldn't speak to or acknowledge her, at least the red head hadn't changed her brash personality. Abigail finished her work in silence then got up, ready to endure another patrol with Roy…………………………………………………………

……..Abigail and Roy's patrols generally happened the same every night now. They'd leave the common room. Say polite yet dry hellos. Go through their part of the school in silence. Then return to the Gryffindor tower. Say dull goodnights.

This one was no different except for the fact that Roy constantly made snide comments about werewolves and potions. Abigail had begun entertaining the thought of good ways to hex Roy so he could never talk again. Ooh and permanently dye his hair pink. They neared the Gryffindor tower.

"So Rose, you're taking Wolfie to the ball? I've got a great date. She's really special." Roy said as the fat lady's portrait came into view.

"That's nice."Abigail said sweetly. Did he think this would make her jealous? Not at all.

Roy said the password and they stepped inside. "Oh. Abigail?" there was something in his voice that made her stop on her way up the girl's staircase.

"Yes?" Abigail turned to him.

"I don't like you like that anymore." He lost his smug grin and a bit of the old Roy from her childhood shown through. "Sure you're amazingly attractive but I've found someone."

Abigail was glad to hear this. She wanted to hug him like old times but decided against it. "I'm glad. Who?"

Roy smirked. "You'll see. She's cool. I enjoy her. " he began his way up the boy's staircase. "Oh..and.." he stopped again. "I still don't agree with you and Wolfie's relationship." He frowned. "We took a poll and we see that it was a cry for attention. I don't like him Abigail. _And I'm going to make you realize just how dangerous he can be. Very very soon._" Roy left.

What did he mean?...

…………Abigail stared at herself in the full-length mirror. Her hair was cascading down her back and to the floor in loose brown curls, hair appearing like the sea. In it was a diamond studded butterfly clip. She wore matching chandelier type earrings and a choker. Her dress was floor sweeping, and of a white snowy color that complimented her skin perfectly. It was sleeveless but she wore elbow length gloves with it. She noticed how the dress clung to and showed off her petite curves in the most flattering way.

"I definitely am not twelve anymore." She muttered. She stuck out a foot and admired her glass slippers. "I'm like Cinderella. This will be a ball I will never forget." She spun around in the mirror.

---

Abigail descended the steps that led to a large area before one entered the great hall. All of the seniors were standing around below, everyone in beautiful gowns and (mostly) black suits and dress robes. Everyone's eyes turned on Abigail as she gracefully came down the stairs. Cameras flashed wildly. She ignored all of this and made it to the floor.

"Abby."

Abigail looked and her breath caught pleasantly in her chest. Looking down at her was the most handsome young man she'd ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on.

"Richard." Abigail smiled. He was wearing an all black suit/dress robe. Its cloak swept the ground slightly adding to it's enthralling effect. The clothing fit closely to his upper body flattering his tall figure. His raven black hair flopped casually over one side of his face. He wore a grin that made her want to swoon. He definitely was not twelve anymore.

"You look nice." Abigail smiled.

Richard smiled and looked over her, his eyes lingering a brief moment on her fitting dress. Abigail blushed.

"You're beautiful." Richard muttered in her ear causing her to smile.

She took his hand. "Hey I want to give you something." She looked around, the students had went back to their own business though she did spot a photographer or two lurking.

"What in front of all of these people?" Richard raised an eyebrow.

"Very funny. You're supposed to be a gentleman." Abigail slapped his face playfully, he caught her hand and kissed it, never taking his eyes from hers to add to the effect.

Abigail blushed. "Oh Richard."

"What is it that you want to give me?" he asked. Abigail pulled him over into a quiet corner away from the waiting crowd. The doors would open exactly at eight o'clock.

"Well. I went to Kay Jewelers in Hogsmeade-remember when I'd sent you to get us something from the candy shop? Well I brought you something." She pulled out of her purse a black charm bracelet, seven charms adorned it with a jewel encrusted on each charm, each stone had a beautiful misty silver and lavender color. "It is a bracelet to represent the seven years we've known each other." She slid it onto his left wrist.

"And the stones are our eye colors merged. The black bracelet represents that anything can happen with our love. An empty canvas already painted with every color." She smiled, hoping he liked it.

"Abigail we've only known each other for five." Richard looked at the bracelet, a mysterious grin on his face.

"No. Our souls have known each other for longer." Abigail looked up at him. His grin had gotten wider. "What?"

Richard sheepishly pulled out an identical bracelet, smaller and delicate though. Abigail gasped.

"I guess what they say is true: soul mates can share thoughts." He slid the bracelet onto her right arm over her gloves.

"Aww Richard!" Abigail took all the composure she'd ever learned to not jump on him in a hug. The golden doors of the great hall opened soon after that and everyone glided in.

---

Abigail and Richard sat at one of the many circular tables that lined the walls of the hall. She scanned the room for Lumina, while admiring the dresses of the other girls.

"Well..look at that."

Abigail followed Richard's gaze. There was Lumina entering the great hall. She was beautiful with her hair in a flowing up-do, feathers sticking out of it, and a teal traditional ball gown that had the tendency to change color as she moved. Her arm was linked to a handsome young man: Roy.

"My heavens." Abigail gasped. She was pleased that they seemed so happy. Smiling so brightly.

"I'm not surprised." Richard said watching them too.

"Well I am." Abigail laughed. "I'll return shortly, I wish to converse with her. Then we can dance together." She kissed Richard's cheek and rose gracefully.

"I have no intention of dancing." Richard muttered. Abigail shot him an 'oh yes you will' look.

She glided over to Lumina and Roy. They were busy talking with Ginger (in a tight form fitting scarlet gown) and her date.

"Hi Lumina." Abigail hugged the girl.

"Oh you look amazing." Lumina gave her an extra squeeze.

"As always." Roy chimed in giving her a strange smile. He had the look of a person who had _done something _that he shouldn't have.

Abigail talked to Lumina as Roy left to get drinks. She found out that Lumina had been fond of Roy since their second year and they had become a couple at the beginning of this year. She said that now everything as right with the world except-

"You and Ginger need to fix this. Before it is too late." Lumina placed a hand on Abigail's shoulder.

Abigail watched Ginger and her date talking nearby. The red head glanced over there at her before looking away. Abigail sighed. True she missed the brash personality of Ginger to balance out she and Lumina's more delicate ways.

"Go do it. You have to. This year is your last year." Lumina gave her a nudge.

Abigail swallowed and glided over to Ginger, Lumina directly behind.

"Hi..you look nice." She began lamely.

Ginger stared at her. Abigail shifted uncomfortably. Ginger sent her date away.

"I thought you had better speeches and apologies up those little sleeves." Ginger scoffed.

"She's sorry too." Lumina told Abigail.

"Look Ginger. I'm sorry. I really-"

Ginger put up a hand to stop her. "No need. I'm sorry. It was my fault not yours."

The flaming haired girl grabbed her in a hug, tears sprang up in Abigail's eyes. Lumina hugged them both.

"Bambi just took a picture. Now we're going to have this moment forever!" Lumina squealed and hugged them both tightly.

"So we're good?" Ginger asked unsurely scratching her hair.

"Yes. If you can forgive me." Abigail inclined her head. "Can you?"

Ginger nodded. " If _you _can forgive _me_"

"All is forgiven and we can learn from this." Lumina chimed in and hugged them again.

After a few moments Abigail left Lumina and Ginger and went back to Richard.

"Well I see the trio is back to normal." He commented, watching Lumina and Ginger talking by a wall. Their dates with them.

"Yes. I wish it would have been sooner." She sighed. "I mean this is our last year." She shrugged it off. "No time for regrets." She looked at Richard with a gleam in her eye . "Let's-"

"I will not." Richard already knew what she was about to say.

Abigail sat down in front of him silently and played with her new charm bracelet. She poked out her bottom lip and nibbled it in a pouting fashion. "Fine." She glanced at him, her eyes big.

Richard rolled his eyes and laughed to himself. She stood up and held out his hand. "Shall we dance?"

Abigail beamed. "Oh yes! Of course." She took his hand and stood gracefully.

He led her to the dance floor. Students nearby virtually stopped dancing to watch them.

"You know what." Abigail muttered in Richard's ear as she placed her hand in his.

"What?"

"Let's go." She looked around and realized a photographer was wildly taking pictures.

"Where?"

"On the balcony." Abigail had noticed a set of doors when she came into the hall, she knew a balcony was through those.

"Okay." Richard understood. They walked across the floor, people moving out of their way like a sea parting, Abigail dispensing compliments, and to the doors. Abigail pushed it open and Richard followed.

"Wow." Abigail breathed. Taking in the amazing view from this height. The trees of the forbidden forest glistened with ice crystals. Abigail crossed her arms against the biting cold and stared out at the beautiful whiteness that enveloped the school's grounds. "Isn't this beautiful?"

"Yes." Richard looked up at the sky, it was a cloudy night.

They stood their staring out at the snow in silence. Abigail watched little fairies flitter about below in the garden that the school had magicked up. Soon a new song reached her ears, streaming from the ballroom.

"Shall we?" Abigail turned to him and smiled.

"Sure."

She put herself in his arms and they swayed silently to the music. She laid her head on his shoulders and closed her eyes. It was so magical, she never wanted it to end. Abigail felt so safe in his arms.

"Abby." Richard said softly , they continued to sway to the music.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Abigail lifted her head and looked at him. That's when it began to snow. She looked into his silver eyes and smiled. She'd waited so long for him to say that. He smiled slightly and brushed snow from her hair. She looked off slightly flustered. He tilted her face up and pulled her close.

The snow swirled around the kissing couple. They stayed in their moment, nothing else seemed to matter. When they pulled out of their kiss Abigail's lavender eyes were bright, brighter than they'd ever been, and brighter than they'd ever be ..ever again.

"I love you too, Richard." Abigail took his hand. "Let's go walk in the garden."

---

The garden was full of small lights, Fairies. Abigail and Richard crunched through the snow talking and laughing while holding hands. Abigail watched Richard, she was sure he'd still harbored dark feelings about what had happened to his family but she hoped she helped make him feel a bit better.

"Richard. One day.." Abigail smiled while watching a fairy flutter by. "You'll see your parents again..and your sister I'm sure."

Richard did not answer her. He was looking up at the sky with a strange expression on his face. A cloud had moved and a full moon was glowing down upon them.

"Richard?" Abigail looked over at him, wondering what he was looking at. "Love?" she put her hand on his shoulder.

"No….that can't be right…I took it.." he muttered to himself staring up at the moon, not responding to Abigail.

"Richard what are you talking about?" she put her hand to his shoulder again. He pulled away.

"I have to go!" he ran off. "Don't follow me!" he called over his shoulder, running toward the forbidden forest.

Abigail watched him run. What was wrong? Was he ill?

"Wait!" Abigail ran after him into the forest.

She couldn't find him. The forest was confusing and cold. She looked around, calling him softly. "Richard?"

Abigail continued to walk briskly through the forest; she could hear the cold voice of the wind blowing through the ice laden trees. She hugged her arms around herself and shivered violently. Snow filled her shoes as her feet sank into the whiteness.

She heard something? Something had moved. A twig had broken. She followed the sound, maybe that was Richard.

Abigail came into a clearing and stopped dead. A black furry beast had its back turned to her. A small whimper of terror escaped her. The beast turned around. Abigail gasped. It was the scariest thing she'd ever seen in her life. She'd never been so close to one before but she knew what it was. It had those tell -tell yellow slits for eyes. A werewolf.

Abigail backed away from it. It came toward her. She ran. It ran after her. Her mind was blank, all she could think of was running.

Cold ground connected with her face, and her ankle ached. She'd tripped over a twig. Her glass slippers fell off. She felt something sharp sink into her leg, she screamed in pain and kicked it away. Abigail struggled back up and continued to run.

She could hear the beasts heavy foot falls quickly behind her. Her leg's blood trailed onto the white snow.

Abigail was thrown to the ground by a heavy blow, cutting her leg through her dress. She fell on her back and looked up. The beast was bearing down her, heavy paws hurting her chest. She stared into those yellow eyes with fear. "Don't hurt me." She whimpered.

She screamed. The beast's claws sunk deep into her. It bared it's teeth. No! She was not going to let it end this way. She kicked and screamed and managed to get it off her. Abigail pulled out her wand. "Get away!"

The beast came toward her, blood on its claws staining the snow.

Abigail screamed and pointed her wand, a blast shot from the wand and into the beast, hurling it backwards. She saw blood flash onto a tree nearby. She'd wounded it at least.

She ran again, holding her stomach, blood pouring onto her white gloves. Her eyes stung with tears. Why was this happening? Why? She'd done everything..someone had done this on purpose.

"No!" she was pulled down by the beast. It's eyes glowing with anger from being wounded. It strained to bite her neck, she struggled to keep it away, her nails-under the gloves- sinking into its skin. Abigail fought for everything. For life. Her screams could be heard vibrating through the woods. She managed once again to get the beast off her.

She ran through the woods. She ran until she collapsed on the cold, damp earth. She curled up in a tight ball and shivered. She was alone. She had never felt so empty in her life. So afraid. The cold bit into her open wounds and the snow was dyed a bright red. She lay their quietly listening to her breathing shallow. In a moment everything had changed. All she once knew, all she once believed in was crumbling beneath her and had all came up to this point, leaving a black gaping hole A bottomless pit of nothing. What would happen to her? Could she be saved? Was this truly it? The curtain closing on her life, ending by the deepest love she had ever known? A wound that would never heal, a wound that would continue on forever even after she left his world.

A warm tear trailed down her cheek and landed silently in the snow. She uncurled herself and lay on her back and stared up at the bright full moon through the trees overhead. It gave ever thing a pale beautiful luminescence. Her lavender eyes fogged with tears, she blinked to clear them. Her icy tears rolled down her pale cheeks and fell into the red snow. Why did this happen why? Who would do something like that..? Suddenly she knew exactly.

She stared up at the moon. She had grown to love the moon. She loved everything that it represented. Now it had cut deep into her and ..was killing her. Here she was in her bloody ball gown. Here she was with a broken weak body. A broken soul. A broken heart. She continued to stare at the moon until the light left her eyes. She continued to stare at the moon…………

………He found himself laying in the snow. A sudden stab of pain. An emptiness ran through him. He was laying in the snow, disoriented. He had no recollection of where he had been to end up face down in the snow. Something was horribly wrong. He knew it.

Why was he in the middle of the forbidden forest?

Richard stood up weakly, he looked at his hands. Blood? His own?

He could hear something. Crying. Loud crying.

Richard slowly walked out of the forest and ended up near the secluded area he and Abigail always spent time, near the cliff.

This is what he saw. Two girls on their knees in ball gowns, crying, sobbing. He looked closer. It was…Ginger and Lumina. What was this? Roy was standing a bit from them looking horrified and deeply saddened..and near throwing up. A body was on the ground..two men lifted it up onto a stretcher and put a sheet over it.

"No!! NO!!!" Lumina sobbed reaching out for the person, Ginger held her back.

"There's nothing we can do!" Ginger cried. Lumina broke down into sobs clinging to Ginger. Roy stood completely still..he seemed guilty.

What had happened? He was confused.

Suddenly his eyes lay on the arm hanging limply from under the sheet. It wore a charm bracelet and white gloves.

He felt sick. Everything that had just happened suddenly came to him. No..No..NO! Richard backed away in shock. Shaking his head. This couldn't have happened. No. No..

"No…Abby…no.." he said, near hysteria, steadily backing away. This couldn't have happened. He..he did this!

He was dangerously near the edge of the cliff and did not know it. He continued to back away. His feet were at the edge, rocks fell away into the raging sea below.

He screamed and he fell off the cliff.

After a long time..there was a splash.

His arm was the last thing seen sliding into the water..the bracelet on his arm broke off on the rock.

Richard's limp arm disappeared under the raging water…………………………

---

Music filled the otherwise silent room. Hermione was at the gold harp playing, her eyes full of unfallen tears. How did she get at the harp? She never had played one in her life. Her fingers barely touched the delicate strings as they ran over it, playing a song she'd never heard before.

She suddenly grew cold. Hermione looked up. There he was. Leaning against the doors..which were open now..and watching her with a deep frown.

"Richard." She quickly got up. "Hi."

He stared at her, his silver eyes had no life behind them and she actually knew why. She shivered involuntarily.

"I ..know what happened to you." She said softly, approaching him. He didn't say anything, he just watched her, so she continued. "I..I'm sorry. I see I was wrong..I'm still a bit confused but..I .." she took his hands. So cold. "I understand."

His frown deepened. "You do not understand much. You understand very little." He took his hands from hers. She noticed the bracelet was not there on his left wrist.

"Abigail showed me everything." She was taken aback by his sudden harsh behavior, he usually was oh so nice to her.

"Go away. I have no use for you right now."

That stung a little. The way he said it, the way he looked at her. It would seem..that he hated her. She left quickly before he grew hostile.

Hermione lay in bed that night thoughtful, thinking of everything that happened. So many questions. She needed answers.

---

_**A/N: REJOICE! Now then..I said mostly everything at the beginning of the chapter. Shocking eh? What did you think about it all? About Abigail and Richard? What do you think Richard plans to do with Hermione? I mean..hmmm..I'd love to know in a review. Well I should be updating again very soon since the next chapter won't be as long and will be more about Hermione and Ron again! Yeah! So leave a review, read. And review!!!!**_


	19. A Fortunate Accident

_**A/N: see told you i'd update soon. Well then how many of you are ready for this!!! Okay haaa here's the next chapter. Read. Review. Repeat. It's not as long as the past two..so you don't have to worry. I hope it's long enough though...**_

**_Chapter 19_**

A Fortunate Accident

---

Love could be so sweet that it made you feel like you were the luckiest person in the world. Like you was flying. Love could hurt so much that you felt like an empty shell just going through the motions. It came to no doubt in her mind now that love was not an emotion. It was a force. A force to be reckoned with. A force to hold on to when you finally felt it because if you took it for granted….if you let it slip…you'd regret it forever.

That love she'd seen brimming in the eyes of the past. She wanted that kind of love. For the longest she always had imagined it as a fairy tale feeling, she had underestimated the power of that force. She wanted to love someone as much as Abigail had loved Richard and he her. Could she ever even find such a person...her soul mate? Soul mates seemed so illogical, how can there possibly be just one person on the entire planet meant for one other person? But…maybe it was time she stopped seeing the world like that. But-

"'Mione you've been staring at the same page for ten minutes."

Hermione looked up. Sitting in front of her was Ron, he was frowning slightly, a thick book sitting in front of him. "What?"

"You're the one who insisted we go to the library. You've been staring at the same page for ten minutes.." he said checking his watch. "No...make that six minutes…." he muttered. "Damn watch."

Hermione smiled slightly watching the redhead reset his wrist watch, making annoyed comments all the while. Ron was the only friend she had left that would actually talk to her. She found herself watching him intently, her brown eyes flowing over his face. The corners of her mouth tugged into an even brighter smile.

"Are you laughing at me 'Mione?" Ron looked up accusingly.

"No…"Hermione looked down at her book again. Heat rose in her face, he caught her staring at him.

"Then what were you doing missy?" Ron propped his elbow on the thick book he was reading and watched her with a grin.

"I was laughing with you." She smirked. It was nice, little moments like this had not been happening often.

"Well have you found anything else? I still can't believe…" Ron flipped a page in the book he was reading. "..you were like..in her memories…." He shook his head in disbelief.

Hermione hardly had told him anything about her experience that morning after he'd asked where she'd been and he'd already dragged her to the library.

"But anyway." Ron said shaking his head. "I had been doing some research in my spare time…I know that sounds like hell has frozen over don't it?" he scoffed and flipped through the book again. "Okay here it is…"

Hermione got up and stood behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning over it to see the pages.

"See this is what I saw…you know that book about Shadows, Unsents, and…what was the other one?"

"Ghosts, Ron." Hermione muttered, peering closely to the tiny text .

"Umm …you are breathing down my neck. Who are you Magonagal?" Ron said looking back at her with raised eyebrows. Hermione pinched his shoulder hard making him swear in a hiss.

"Just continue." Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down in an empty chair beside him.

"Okay anyway." Ron placed his finger on a sentence in the book. "Alright listen to this. I think we may know what he is now. Okay it says… a Shadow is in fact more or less like a ghost and an unsent." He was silent for a moment, skimming the pages. Hermione waited with anticipation.

"Well?" she ran her hands through her bushy hair. He gave her a look that clearly said 'could you be more impatient?'

"Alright here it is." Ron said triumphantly, getting multiple "shh's" and a couple "shut ups" from several nearby students. "Son of a bitches." He muttered glaring at a group of first years.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed.

"What? They better realize who I am." He scoffed. "Stupid freshmen."

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle. "Ron, you used to be a freshman once."

"Minor details, and regardless…they could never be as cool as us." he looked back at the book. "Okay listen Hermione, you talk sooo much."

"Why you-" Hermione bit her lip to stop from smiling. "Just finish telling me. I won't talk until you're done." She leaned back in her seat and watched his finger trail across the book. "It is very rare that you of all people actually read…" she muttered in an undertone, resulting in a sharp poke from Ron's quill.

"Okay here it is. Um…it says a Shadow is a physical being, just like an Unsent and they are both more or less like ghosts but ghosts are the spirit of someone while an Unsent and a Shadow is literally that person…eh..that's kinda confusing…" he scratched his head. "I'm guessing like you can't really even tell they are..not alive…except for..the occasional presence of pyreflies. But…those Pyreflies, whatever those are, they are only seen when the Shadow or Unsent wants it to be seen. Um..they can change their appearance as well but usually retain the appearance they had when they died. They do not age either."

"Well..he still looks seventeen…so..he's forever that age? And what about Abigail? I was able to touch her as I touched him. The only thing that would be obvious was the coldness of their skin and the dimness in their eyes. I'm assuming from lack of having a soul?" Hermione frowned in thought.

"Well..they do have a soul…I think..it's like…they are their soul..but solid… it's a bit confusing" Ron shrugged. "Let me finish man." He continued. "okay so here's the difference in Shadow and the other two. Shadow are usually …like Unsent..they have a motive, that is why they will not die….or something..it's like..but unlike Unsent who can fight their fate for either good or bad intentions. Shadow are fueled by the hate and darkness and despair in a heart."

Hermione nodded. It made a lot of sense. "Well..that's understandable…I mean…he lost his girlfriend at his own hands…"

"He killed her." Ron interrupted.

"No he didn't." Hermione felt a twinge of irritation. "He was a werewolf…" she thought mostly to herself than to him. "Imagine seeing yourself hurting the one you love….and being unable to stop it…I mean when he found out…that Abigail was dead….and then….realized it was he who did it…and then right after his parents and sister were killed the same way that summer…" she shook her head, her throat became constricted. She swallowed. "he was so…wow…I mean…then he fell…" she sighed.

"Sure he didn't throw his self off?" Ron scoffed.

"Ron. He did _not_ throw himself off. He wasn't the type to do that..he was not a weak minded person. He…was shocked and fell off. I'm not sure if he died from hitting one of the rocks..or if he drowned…" she sighed.

"Or..if he just gave up…because he had nothing else to live for?" Ron asked looking at her, his demeanor changed suddenly. Hermione nodded silently.

"Yes." She stared at him silently. "Continue please." She shook her head and stared at the table top.

"Well.."Ron looked back at the book and read some more. "A Shadow 's heart..hence their name..they are fueled by a certain desire. In his case it would be?"

"I have no idea." Hermione shrugged. "None at all…"

_Right….._

"Ok.." Ron shrugged. "Also…Shadow are the person..but they are blinded by their desire you see.."

"So..they have only one thought on their mind?"

"No..they are…just like a normal person, they are intelligent as they were when they were actually alive…" Ron answered. "you know it's nice explaining something to you for a change."

Hermione smiled slightly. "Continue little boy." She rolled her eyes.

"Of course little girl." Ron continued to read the book, a small smile on his lips. Hermione smiled to herself, she hadn't seen him smile much lately. "Okay…here we go. Um…lets see….so what I'm understanding.." he paused and turned the page. "Is that…he's full of hate and pain and stuff. What a damn sob story."

"Ron. " Hermione frowned. "Stop being mean. What would you do if that happened to you? I mean…they were in love. Which brings me to another thing….why does does records say that he stalked Abigail?"

Ron shrugged. He thought about it while turning the page again. "Well for one, it wouldn't happen to me and if it did I wouldn't freak out like that. "

_You'll regret those words…_

" 'Mione did you say something?" he looked at her, she was watching him with a strange expression on her face.

"No…why?" she blinked. "Hey you know…you have more in common with Richard that you'd like to think. He was just like you almost…almost anyway. But yeah..why?"

"Heh..that was odd." Ron scratched his head causing his red hair to fall into his face. Hermione brushed it behind his ears without thinking. He looked at her, his cheeks tinged red. "Uh?"

"What else Ron? What were you about to say?" Hermione acted as if nothing had happened.

"Anyway you said that those files said he was like stalking her and all that?" Ron blinked. "Well…my dad told me that the ministry does that lots to cover up stuff. They'll change records and stuff to make it suit better to the public. So…maybe they added all that crap to make him seem even the more so guilty. I mean really…he already probably looked pretty guilty. How did they know he was a werewolf?"

Hermione thought. Abigail and that red haired boy, Roy…she remembered their conversation. Suddenly her hand flew to her mouth and she gasped. "Ron…Roy was the only other person who knew that Richard was a werewolf..other than Abigail. And maybe he could have told Lumina or Ginger but I doubt it. But.." she stared at Ron. "it was him..it was…his fault."

"What?" Ron frowned and looked around to see if anyone else was listening.

"Ron..it's all there!" she hissed. "Roy…the boy I told you that looked a bit like you…he was the only one who knew…and oh my gosh!" she held her face in her hands. Ron unsurely placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione it can't be that serious."

"I think it may be. " she looked up at him, her eyes scanning his confused face. "Ron….it was Roy..it was his fault that all of that happened. Now that I remember even more so…that stupid stupid boy..he ruined everything…it was all his fault." Her fists were balled up and she wore a deep frown.

"Hermione could you calm down and tell me what you are talking about?" Ron blinked.

"He was going to prove..to Abigail that Richard was dangerous. I'm sure his intention was to cause a scene in the ball room..he never expected them to leave the ball and walk outside. He ..tampered with the potion somehow….and that's how it all happened…just because of his selfish immaturity. " she felt hot liquid stream down her cheeks. Was she crying?

"Hermione.." Ron turned her face to his. "What potion?"

Hermione brushed her cheeks to quickly remove the tears…strange..her face was completely dry. "There was a potion Abigail made…after she found out about his little problem. She created, I'm sure, the first potion that could completely stop a person from becoming a werewolf. Not like the Wolfbane potion that only lets a person keep their mind while they are the beast. This potion …literally was a preventive method..very close to being a complete cure. " she shook her head and blinked back tears. Why was she reacting so emotionally? It was almost as if she was feeling…another person's emotions..again..but who's?

"Seriously?" Ron leaned forward with interest. Then his face fell. "That wouldn't help Lupin or any of the other people now huh? The girl who made it and the potion is all gone…lost to history eh?" Ron looked back at the book. "I guess it is kinda sad."

"Very….I wonder what ever happened to that stupid boy. To Roy…" she scoffed, then her expression softened. "Ron..imagine what the graduation that year was like? "

"Probably very depressing." Ron commented, his elbow propped on the book, watching her silently.

"Yes..I mean…they were the Valedictorian and Salutatorian that year…" Hermione felt herself getting angrier and sadder with each word. It felt so foreign to feel this way about people she hardly knew..but she felt like she'd known them for quite some time now. "I mean he was Valedictorian…she was Salutatorian..how tragic..and it's all that stupid boy's fault. Just because he couldn't have her…" Hermione scoffed angrily.

"Sure it's sad 'Mione, but you act like it happened to you or something." Ron put his hand on her shoulder. "You act like _you are her_ or something."

Hermione was silent.

"Well..uh..that's about it Hermione. Pretty much..we just don't know what his motive is…" Ron closed the book. "I better go get ready, we've got a quidditch match in two hours. Against Slytherin ironically."

_Roy played…_

"Ron." Hermione caught his hand and looked up at him with urgency. "Ginger looked like your sister..many similarities."

"What?" Ron frowned, his face saddened slightly at the thought of his sister whom was still missing. Hermione stood as well, coming to her full height which was still dwarfed considerably by his height.

"Ron. Ginger looked liked Ginny. You look…a little..the hair anyway..like Roy." she said.

"I do?"

"Yes. Ron…be careful at the game. The only other person…is Luna…she looks a lot like Lumina…just..be careful..I mean..what if something like what happened to Ginny happened to you. " she said softly.

"Let's go, before I'm late." Ron began to leave the library. Hermione followed after him urgently.

"Ron I'm serious. Please be careful." Hermione's voice cracked. Ron turned around.

"Hermione? You really are scared for me aren't you?" he ran his hands through is firey hair and smiled brightly. "Don't worry about me okay." He pulled her to him in a embrace.

She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. Such a nice change from the cold. She never knew how much he mattered to her until she'd seen someone else lose someone who'd mattered to them. "I don't want to lose you.." she whispered.

"What?" Ron pulled away from her and looked into her eyes.

She shook her head. "Nothing." She laughed, brushing her hair from her face. "Nothing…it's silly."

"Hey you know…even if all that stuff happened to him…that still doesn't give him the right to ruin other people's happy endings.." Ron said thoughtfully. "I promise I'll be fine. You just promise not to go near him okay. I wouldn't want something to happen to my best friend."

"Yes..yes..I ..I promise." Hermione hung her head. What if something did happen? Quidditch was already a dangerous sport.

"Look 'Mione." Ron tilted her chin up. His eyes locked onto hers seriously. "I promise it'll be fine. It's just a game. And I know that Slytherin is a bunch of cheating pieces of shit but still…it'll be totally fine. " he smiled.

Hermione nodded, though her eyes betrayed her, she was not convinced. Ron leaned in and pressed his lips softly to her cheek.

"See you later 'Mione." Ron said softly. He turned and walked away down the corridor.

"Ron?!" Hermione called after him unsurely, her hand on her cheek where he'd just kissed her.

"See ya later 'Mione. I've got a game to win." He waved while still walking. She watched him disappear around a corner and stood in silence.

"How touching."

Hermione jumped slightly and came face to face with bright blue eyes. "Lumina?!"

"Who? Oh" Luna laughed slightly. "No…I'm Luna….duh." she shrugged. "We both seem to be in need of escorts so…how about it. You know we can't be out without an escort."

"Luna..I.." Hermione suddenly felt encumbered with remorse.

Luna held up her hand over Hermione's mouth and shook her head gently. "I do not want to hear it. I understand. It is fine…everyone has otherworld outbursts every once in a while right Abigail?"

"Yeah…" Hermione smiled slightly. "So you forgive me?"

"Totally…do you realize what I just called you?"

"…uh..?"

"Never mind." Luna had an all-knowing smile cross her face. "So where are we headed ?"

"Well…we have half an hour before the Quidditch match…" Hermione said unsure. It was a bit hard talking to the girl she'd, if she remembered correctly, called a bitch.

"Brilliant. We'll get the best seats then. I'll sit with you." Lumina took her wrists and began to walk them steadily down the corridor. "Got any questions?"

"Well…dozens….but none for you…I doubt you could- wait..maybe you could.." Hermione said as Lumina took them briskly around a corner.

"Lovely. Shoot." Lumina's blond hair floated behind her like a curtain in the wind. She led them down some stairs that led directly to the stands.

"Shoot…what?" Hermione breathed, while trying to keep up with Luna.

Luna chuckled. "You are too literal." She took them down a dim corridor, sunlight streaming through windows. "I mean..what is your question?"

"Well…"

"We're here." Luna pushed open a door and they were blinded by the harsh winter sunlight. "Ooh it's chilly out here. Good thing we have on cloaks." She pulled Hermione up the ramp that led to the seats of the stands. "I'm going to sit with the Gryffindors today yay!" Luna ruffled Hermione's already bushy hair and sat down. "Good seats from here too."

Hermione sat down beside her and closed her cloak around herself. She looked over the empty stadium. Soon the stadium would come to life with cheering fans and two teams. One night a long time ago…there was a duel on these same grounds..

"So what was your question?"Luna frowned for a moment and looked around herself. "Now where is.."

"Um..it's in your ear." Hermione gingerly pulled the wand from behind Luna's ear and held it out for her. Luna smiled.

"Of course it is." She sighed wistfully. "Now what is it dear?" her bright big blue eyes looked over at Hermione.

"Well…your father is a publisher right? I mean he owns the….that..Quibbler. Well…I'm sure you have read up on past publications from like…more official newspapers right?"

Luna's smile brightened, she nodded. "Yes. "

"Have you ever came across the name…Roy Livingston? He was a Quidditch player..may have become a famous one?"

Luna nodded. "Oh yeah, how ironic I came across that name this summer. It was in a pretty old publication of the Daily Prophet. He was…" Luna closed her eyes as if she tried to remember. Hermione watched her silently. "Yes it was about this famous popular Quidditch guy from Puddlemere United." She nodded , her eyes still closed. "He….was mysteriously found dead…his wife was the one who found him. He was found dead mysteriously around age twenty five. There were no marks on him at all, no sign of forced entry, no sign of a struggle. It was very strange. " Luna opened her eyes. "I believe it was revenge or guilt."

Hermione was silent. Before she could say anything more students began streaming into the stands.

---

"Gryffindor is leading by over fifty points! This will be a great time for Potter to catch that snitch! Oh and Zane has the quaffle…oh but Weasely blocks it with a good burst of speed. Seems like yesterday folks that Weasely was horrible at this game!" the commentator shouted over hundreds of screaming fans.

Hermione was clutching the rails of the stands watching Ron's every move , as well as Harry's. They'd been playing pretty well the entire game. In fact,…Ron had played better than she'd ever seen him play in her life.

"He's a real talent your boyfriend." Luna clapped as Gryffindor scored another goal.

"Who? I don't have a boyfriend." Hermione clapped and whistled along with the crowd of rambunctious students. The energy in the air was electrifying and helped release the stress that had been pressing down on her.

"And that Weasely is playing for all the marbles today I believe! He's must got an admirer in the stands because he's playing better than ever! And another goal blocked by our favorite red head!"

The crowd screamed again.

"I meant him." Luna whispered in her ear.

"LETS GO WEASELY LETS GO YEAH YEAH!"

Hermione looked up and her eyes widened. A group of first and second year girls from different houses were all in matching outfits with pompoms doing a cheer. She felt a strange twinge somewhere.

"Oh look at that, Weasely takes the time to blow the cheering section a kiss while blocking another goal!" the commentator screamed.

"The green monster of envy strikes again." Lumina nudged her.

"What? Myself and Ronald are merely friends. As I am with Harry." Hermione screamed loudly hoping to drown out the cheers of those incessant fan girls.

"Sure ..." Luna chuckled. "GO TOASTED ZEBRAS!" Luna pulled out a whistle and blew hard on it causing bubbles to fly out of it and at the students on the opposite side of the stadium.

The game got intense. Gryffindor was sure to win. All they needed now was for Harry to go ahead and catch that snitch.

Ron gazed over the crowd and easily found a bright red scarf amongst the sea of black. Hermione always wore that scarf to give him and Harry silent support. He smiled. Another quaffle whizzed past his head. He intercepted it quickly with a sudden burst of speed.

The crowd went wild again. How he liked to hear the crowd cheer at his accomplishments. He felt like a superstar. Suddenly his brook jerked. It was a slight jerk, only a person riding it would notice.

"What the?" Ron ignored it. "C'mon you stupid Slyther-" the broom bucked a bit harder. He held on tightly and positioned himself again at the goalposts. He was watching the chasers in green. One was coming at him. He got ready, a gleam in his eye. He could see Harry out of the corner of his eye about to catch the snitch glinting at the bottom of the field.

"What is wrong with Weasely's broom? It seems to be ready to go already!" the commentator's words met his ears telling him that now they noticed something was wrong too.

Hermione clutched the goal posts. "What if….what if…." She suddenly couldn't breathe.

Ron laughed unsurely. His broom had stopped bucking. "It's okay guys!" he shouted to nearby teammates with a laugh. "WHOA!"

Hermione, and the rest of the school watched in horror as the red haired keeper was thrown from his broom violently and thrown into the goal post. It vibrated with the impact of his body. His limp body tumbled down towards the ground. Slytherin and Gryffindor teammembers all flew down to catch him, he slipped through their fingers. Hermione held her stomach in pain as he landed hard onto the ground, dust kicking up from the impact of him hitting the grass.

"Ron!" her cry echoed through the entire stadium.

"Hermione" Luna said. Hermione didn't listen.

Without thinking she ran through the students that were now peering over the rails high above the ground. She tore through everyone in her path and ran down the ramp. At one point the crowd of students was too big to get through. She gripped the rail and jumped over it.

"Granger!" someone called her, it sounded like Magonagal but she paid no attention.

The cold hair slapped her hard in the face relentlessly as she landed cat-like onto the ground, a pain shot through her legs but it mattered naught to her. She ran flat out across the grass , past the landing team members, and reached him first.

"Ron oh please don't be dead!" saw his body laying beneath the goal posts unmoving. Blood coming trailing from his mouth, his eyes closed. She ran over to him and kneeled down, taking upturned palm. "Ron please!" her eyes fogged with tears. "Ron!" she cried shaking him. He did not move. "Please no..I can't lose you. I knew this was going to happen! You promised!" she sobbed.

No answer. He was completely still.

"Ron please!"

---

**_A/N: Please leave reviews I shall be updating soon._**


	20. Possession

****

**_Chapter 20_**

Possession

---

Harsh winter sunlight streamed through the lacy white curtains of the hospital room and kissed her eyelids. Cold sunlight clung to her light brown eyelashes giving them the appearance of faerie's dust.

She squinted against the sunlight and turned her face from the glow. For a moment she thought she was in the comfort of her dorm room. Then the pain in her neck, the cramp in her leg, and the hardness of a chair with a worn-in cushion made her realize otherwise.

Eyes still closed against the light, something rang in her head.

_How is he?_

The voice was soft and gentle, as it had been since Ginny's disappearance. The presence of headaches was also gone.

_How is he?_

Ron. What had happened? Her eyes popped open and landed on a sleeping figure near her on a bed. Everything mattered not but the flaming red head before her.

_I am sorry…I __cannot__ stop this descent into darkness…_

Hermione leaned forward and put her face in her hands. The previous day began to come back to her. She'd been so afraid. She'd jumped from the bleachers at a dangerous height without thinking. She thought she was going to lose him and if it had not been for some quick work by Madam Pomfrey she probably would have.

She recalled not being able to hear anything but muffled sound; nothing else had mattered to her but Ron. She'd been sobbing and shaking him, pleading that he awakened, she'd felt a hand on her shoulder. She'd looked up through her tears to see Harry looking silently at her. He'd moved her out of the way so a doctor could reach Ron.

It was only until the commotion had died and she'd been left alone in the hospital room gazing down at Ron, had she realized something:

She loved him. She loved Ron.

She felt the grip on her hand tighten. Ron's eyes moved under his eyelids.

"Ron?" Hermione whispered, smoothing long strands of hair out of his face.

A slight groan came from the red head. Slowly his eyes opened. "'Mione." His lips tugged into a small smile. "See I told you I'd be fine."

Hermione's eyes stung with tears. "Ron." She jumped out of the chair and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ron laughed unsurely and patted his head. Hermione buried her face in his hair, taking in his scent. "I feared you gone." She murmured.

_How it feels to lose someone…such a fleeting feeling__…..__horrible._

"Blame your little friend. He's got a chip on his shoulder and I'm going to have to knock it off." Ron muttered. Hermione did not reply to his comment for a moment.

"Ron." She pulled away and sat back down. "It is not his fault."

"Sure."Ron frowned slightly. "But that doesn't mean anything. My sister may still-" he paused and stared at the white sheets. "So what..exactly happened at the Quidditch match?"

Hermione blinked. "The Quidditch-oh yes of course." She told him what happened.

Ron was silent for a moment. "You actually jumped off those high stadium seats?"

Hermione nodded sheepishly. "Because…I care...we are friends." She said softly. There was so much she'd wanted to say but now was not the time.

She glanced at her watch, she knew today was Tuesday and she _did _have an early morning class.

"Oh…well see you later." Ron said watching her. She looked at him with a pitying smile. "We wouldn't want you to end up not being valedictorian." He sighed turning his face to the window.

Hermione felt horrible, as if all of this were her fault. She slid her hand over his. He did not look at her but his cheeks grew considerably red, almost as much as his hair.

"Ron I would love to say..I am sorry…I am so sorry." She caressed his hand.

"'Mione." Ron said tightly, moving his hand from hers. "It is quite alright." He laughed hoping to ease the discomfort. "Blood hell 'Mione, don't worry I'll be fine. I promise this time."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue but he gave her a sharp insistent look. She nodded, smoothing her hands over her jeans and sighing.

"I'll come back during break if I may." She rose from her chair, joints protesting for they had been sitting in the same position all night.

"Go 'Mione, I'll probably be around later."

---

Hermione managed to keep her focus on her classes and pay attention to her notes regardless of all the distractions until she ended up in a class shared with Slytherin.

The teacher's voice weaved in and out, her mind began to wander. She shifted in her seat, crossing her jean clad legs, and stared at her work. She was supposed to be taking notes.

She looked up again towards the professor, her eyes landed on the Slytherin students. The majority had their heads down, taking notes, seventh years they had matured.

The brunette blinked, she could almost see a Slytherin boy with long black hair. His silver eyes focused on his work even though across from him sat his first and only love. Abigail would look up from her work and see him taking notes intently, his dark hair flopping into his face. He would sense her gaze and looked up, he would smile. She would too.

"Granger.."

Hermione blinked. Lavender hissed in her ear again. "Granger you've been spaced out for five minutes. You should probably pay more attention before Mcdoogle deducts points."

She nodded, her gaze falling on Harry. He was busy writing, how she wished he would talk to her. A sigh flowed from her lips, she tucked her bushy strands behind her ears and got back to work.

The Professor droned on. Hermione laid her head on her desk slowly and continued to write. Her quill's slow steady scratching became rhythmic and her eyes began to feel heavy and her mind drifted to a more comfortable place.

"Granger, are you ill?" the soft concerned voice of the professor fell close to her ear. She felt a hand land on her back.

Hermione looked up at the woman's calm but slightly annoyed face. Wordlessly she nodded.

"Go to the bathroom." The Professor said closing her book for her. "Then to Madam Pomfrey if need be."

Silently Hermione rose from her seat, grabbing her books she left the room, her eyes downcast. She walked silently down the hall. Moisture fell on her cheek. Was she crying? Why? Was this why the Professor though her ill? She pressed her hand to her cheek and scoffed. Sure she had a lot to cry about recently but…

Somewhere deep in her, she secretly expected Richard to come out of nowhere as he had done earlier in the year, and comfort her, wipe away her tears. But no one was here. It was just her and a cold corridor.

She could go see Ron; yes this would give her a great reason to check up on him again. She turned down the familiar path to the Hospital Wing, but her body turned her away down a different hall. Soon she found herself outside walking steadily across the grounds.

The vines blew gently in the frozen wind, their green leaves covered in snow from the new winter. Where was she? Hermione pushed the vines apart and entered the area. The first thing she saw was a gazebo with a ring of flowers around its roof. Ahh she'd been here many times to be alone but she had never truly noticed where it was. This was the same Gazebo that Abigail and Richard had spent time.

Suddenly she felt as if she should not be there, as if this area was sacred only to those two and her presence defiled its perfection.

_He is here too._

Hermione walked past the gazebo through another cluster of hanging vines and came onto an area she'd only seen in those memories.

The strange moonlilies petals closed over themselves, their stems turned downward as if they were sleeping. She gingerly walked toward the area, walking through the dense cluster of Pyreflies. She remembered what Richard had told Abigail about them not coming out during the day. About the flowers.

She sighed and hugged her cloak to herself against the biting new winter air. She walked toward the edge of the area, the cliff.

_He is here too._

Hermione turned away from the cliff to see a tall red head coming toward her. For a fleeting moment she thought it was Roy, she thought to get defensive. No….those eyes were differently colored and much more friendly. It was Ron.

_He is here._

"Ron!" Hermione ran though the Moonlilies toward him, wrapping her arms around him without thinking. He laughed and his arms went around her too briefly.

"Skipping class are you." Ron grinned at her, putting his hands on his hips in a fashion that would make his mother proud.

Hermione shook her head. "No." she plucked his frost-kissed nose painfully. "The Professor thought me ill and gave me leave." She indicated her bag with a wave of her hand, the white handle sticking out of a patch of the strange flowers.

"Well….I never noticed this area before."Ron looked around, his eyes gleaming with interest. "I was sitting in the Gazebo and saw you walk pass." He ran his gloved hands through his red hair and grinned at Hermione again.

"Yes...this area has been here for ages and I hadn't truly seen it either." She said softly kneeling to get a better look at a particular Moonlilly. "It is hard to believe that they used to come here..all the time.." she sighed, coaxing a Moonlillie open with a finger. The flower burst open, it's petals separating from each other and Pyreflies coming from its center.

"Oh cool!" Ron said kneeling down beside her and reaching out toward the flower with the intent of pulling it from the ground. Hermione caught his hand. "What?"

She smiled slightly and shook her head. "Don't pull it from the ground, it will never ever grow back" she looked pointedly into his eyes.

"How do you know?" he cocked his head to the side, his red hair sliding over his face and shoulders in a familiar manner. Like him.

"Well….he told her that in the memory." Hermione let go of his hand and stood, dusting the snow from knees. She rubbed her gloved hands together and looked over at him. He was still looking down at the flower, watching the petals close themselves again and the Pyreflies become dense around it again.

"Do we have any more classes to go to?" he asked suddenly, standing as well and walking over to her. She was now staring up at the pale grey winter sky, it threatened to snow.

"Well as of now we would be having our twenty minute break…then we have two more classes then it will become evening…then dinner…then you know we all have to go inside…in fact we should not be out here. There is still danger outside." Hermione said in a tone that proved she was not truly concerned with going back inside for class. She wanted to say out here, this area made her feel…strangely.

"So…after break are you going back to class?" Ron asked.

"…no..." she said, surprising herself as well as him.

"Man I'm such a horrible influence. " Ron shook his head and snorted. "And for that I am glad."

Hermione blushed slightly. "Oh Ron, do not flatter yourself so." She sat down in the midst of the flowers and stared out at the horizon.

The two sat amongst the flowers talking about anything that came to mind. Hermione often brought up Richard and Abigail and Ron often cleverly changed the subject.

"……which brings me to the point; I wonder if they ever sat outside for hours just talking." Hermione mused thoughtfully; she was now sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest looking at the setting sun that cast a dim gold into the sky along with some purple and white.

"..I'll bet you'd never believe I liked those earrings you're wearing." Ron answered. Clearly trying to change the subject again. The red head was lying on his back, his hands under his head in a comfortable position, his blue eyes scanning the sky with a slight frown.

"Oh really?" Hermione touched her cold ears. No one had ever noticed the little colorful studs she put in her ears each day. "I have a different color for each day of the week for each month. " she glanced at him .

"I noticed. This is Ice-blue for winter and for Tuesday right?" Ron grinned slightly at how easy it had been for him to change the subject.

"Yes." She nodded and looked back to the horizon. "Sun set is so beautiful."

"Hey of course I noticed."

"Ron." She stood and dusted off her cloak and jeans. "You have matured considerably. How come?" she asked softly. She walked to her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "We probably should get back inside. Night falls soon and I am sure tonight there's a full moon."

Ron sat up but did not stand. He watched her brushing the snow from her bushy hair. "I'm glad you think I've matured. I guess it was because of you?" he said nonchalantly throwing the last word off as if it mattered little or as if it were a joke.

"Should I buy that my dear friend?" she said not looking back at him, her cheeks grew warm against the cold air.

The sky slowly began its transition from day to night before they knew it. A full moon hung in the air as a pale orb of indifference. It's eerie glow bathing them in its luminescence. Ron's blue eyes seemed bright against the moon, giving them the look of a turbulent ocean.

He looked with fascination at the flowers as one by one they all burst open to their full beauty and Pyreflies began to cover the area. "Whoa…this is cool 'Mione." He ran his hands through a patch of Pyreflies and was surprised at how they felt. "Man these things seem to be whispering." He looked over at Hermione.

The girl was standing near the edge of the cliff looking up at the moon silently. Her brown bushy hair blew carelessly in the cold wind, as did her black cloak. Ron remarked to himself at how pretty she was. "This place is kinda romantic isn't it?" Ron said still watching her.

"Yes." She answered, not turning around, her face still turned upward at the full moon. "Ronald, the Pyreflies….they whisper for they may be fragmented souls….no one really understands them." Her voice was softer than he'd ever heard it and had a slight musical tinkle to them.

Ron shrugged and watched several of the little bizarre lights float around Hermione. "You ready to go in Hermione?" he asked, it had suddenly grew colder than what he felt was comfortable.

_It…__….._

Ron ran his fingers over the delicate petals of the flowers; they were cold to the touch. "Can't believe no one but us knows about this area." He commented. He heard the crunch of snow but no answer from Hermione. He looked up. Hermione was walking dangerously near the edge of the cliff, her eyes now peering into the water below. "Uh…..'Mione be careful over there…" he said warningly, standing up and dusting the snow from himself.

He watched perplexed as Hermione stopped suddenly and looked back at him. He blinked.

"Hermione?" he said unsurely. A Pyrefly flew past her face and in its light her eyes shone brightly. _Lavender_ colored eyes…_beautiful cold lavender eyes_. But...her eyes were brown… "Hermione?" he asked again coming toward her.

She abruptly turned her face from him and began to walk toward the edge again.

Hermione felt herself falling but she could not stop herself, lost in a cold haze. She had to reach the water, she had to find him? Who? Him. Him. Him.

She felt something catch her around the waist. Suddenly everything came clear to her. She was dangling dangerously off the cliff, her eyes focused downward onto the turbulent water and rocks below.

"Hermione what the bloody hell!" Ron's scared and breathless voice was close behind her ear. She touched the hands around her waist. They were his; he was holding her back from the cliff. "Were you trying to off yourself?!"

Hermione blinked. "Let me go. I have to go." The haze returned as quickly as it had come. She tugged against him. She was almost there. She could save him.

Ron tugged hard on her pulling her down onto the ground, she falling onto him as they crashed into the snow. Her eyes suddenly flashed from that strange lavender shade to its usual chocolate brown. "Hermione? What the hell?"

Hermione caught her breath and gazed down at him. "What?"

"You were about ...hell you almost had...literally flung yourself off that cliff down onto those rocks below." He looked up at her, a concerned frown on his face. He held her to him almost protectively, as if he were afraid she'd try to run off the top of the cliff again.

"I did? It was...quite bizarre..." she laid her head on his chest and listened to the comforting sound of his heart, it was beating rather fast, as was hers. She felt Ron's arms close around her a bit tighter, it made her feel a strange warmth, despite the fact that it was quite chilled outside. "I…I was not in control of myself…everything went cold…I don't want feel like that ever again…" she said softly, her face buried in Ron's chest.

"Hermione….maybe we should go inside." Ron said,his voice sounded slightly strange, as if he did not know what to say or do about that. "So….let's…..before we get in trouble or worse." He gently nudged her off him.

"Of….of course." Hermione stood and helped him up. "Very,,,.quickly. I think….everyone should be headed to dinner by now." She dusted the snow off herself silently. Hoping he would not say anything about what had just happened.

"Ok…'Mione?" he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Let's not okay." She muttered and began walking back toward the school. Ron followed behind quickly.

---

They merged quite easily with the hundreds of black cloaks milling through the halls, all headed toward the great hall. No one paid much attention to them, except the usual casual glance from a random student. They reached the Great Hall's doors without incident.

"I wonder if anyone notices we were gone." Ron muttered from behind her.

"I have no idea." She responded, looking back to make sure he was still there. She pushed open the doors to the great hall and they entered. She kept her head bowed to the ground , for some strange reason she felt as if she was being watched by everyone in the room.

"I am soo hungry." Ron commented from her side. Their walk down the isle to the Gryffindor table felt a longer one than usual to her, Ron seemed to notice. He silently took her hand.

Hermione looked up sharply at the familiar yet foreign gesture. She searched his face for some meaning to what he was doing. He looked over at her with a casual grin and winked. She looked away and shook her head.

"Whoo..oh Jesse you have competition." A girl's voice from the Gryffindor table said. It came from a third year with dark hair, she was watching the pair's progress.

"Oh whatever. He'd never want Granger. They're friends." The girl, Jesse, answered, picking at her food.

"Damn fangirls." Ron muttered as he found them a seat at the end of the table. He had first thought to sit by Harry, but saw there were no seats empty near the boy.

"Oh of course you enjoy the attention…" Hermione sat down. She watched him go around the table to the other side and sit in front of her. "But they are right of course." She muttered, sure he had not heard her. She'd never seen any true indication that Ron ever would be…

"What do two hormonal third years know?" Ron said as he picked some chicken off one of the large gold plates and sat it on his own plate. Hermione did not answer him, she just filled her plate with a bit of food. "I mean 'Mione, you are way prettier than they are."

Hermione scoffed and picked up her fork. "You are so charming, you little liar." She looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"You wound me with your words." Ron spun his fork around dramatically, a bit of peas flying and hitting a nearby seventh year in the ear. He watched with amusement as it spawned an argument.

"Why do you insist on acting like a child?!"the seventh year glared at the boy beside her. "Brother you should grow up fast if you ever want a girl. You're a fourth year now you know."

"I didn't-" the boy protested, his mouth full of steak.

Hermione rolled her eyes as the bickering between the nearby students got worse. "Ron you remind me of someone." She chuckled.

"Of course." Ron bit off a piece of chicken and raised his eyebrows at her. She went back to eating, a small smile on her face.

"Excuse me." Hermione felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up into dark silver-grey eyes.

"Yes." She blinked, it was the seventh year girl Ron had hit in the hear.

"You saw my idiot brother throw that right?" she indicated her brother who was frowning with annoyance behind his sister.

"Um…" she opened her mouth, ready to tell her the truth, that it was Ron. She felt Ron's heel grind into her foot. "No…I saw nothing..at all..I was busy..enjoying watching my friend." She indicated Ron. "Eat his chicken like a complete and utter pig."

"Hey!" Ron voiced his objection. Sure enough his mouth was filled with chicken. The girl looked over at Ron and hid a small smile.

"I see." She turned back to her brother. "You are a horrible liar. Maybe you should have ended up in Slytherin like my twin, Robyn." She slapped his shoulder hard causing several of his friends to laugh.

"Ron, you are brutal." She kicked him in the shin. The girl and her brother went back to eating.

This resulted in another kick in the shin.

"Hey 'Mione? I didn't know eyes like that were common." Ron commented looking back at the seventh year girl.

"I was thinking the same. I have only seen..one person with eyes like that. Rather beautiful they are." Hermione answered, sipping on her Feywood Orange drink.

"I wanna ask her…maybe she'd related ?" Ron shrugged.

"Go ahead." Hermione shrugged and concentrated on figuring out what was the hidden ingredient in this drink.

"Hey you."Ron called. The girl looked at him, her silver eyes were quite friendly and warm.

"Yes?"

"What's your name?" he asked, his fork dangling out of his mouth.

The girl smiled slightly. "Well, I'm Raelyn. My idiot brother..Mathieu." she propped her elbows on the table. "You're Ron and Hermione, I know..you're Harry's friends."

"Yep..." Ron nodded. "So…who's your twin you mentioned?"

The girl's smile brightened. "Over there." She pointed. Ron and Hermione's eyes followed her finger and landed on another dark haired girl. She was busy talking to a boy beside her but looked up as if she knew someone was watching her. Y

"Oh..that's your twin? She was my partner once in a double Herbology class. Robyn right?" Ron said waving at the girl from across the room.

"Yes. " the girl nodded.

A pea hit her in the ear again. Her brother was laughing triumphantly now.

"Damn it!" she growled.

Ron shook his head and laughed as the two got into another argument. "Well...they're.. hot."

"Boys.." Hermione kicked him again in the leg, getting a yelp from him.

---

Hermione left the great hall with Ron with an unshakeable feeling that something bad was about to happen. Ron was talking a lot about random things and Quidditch. Remarking how they won even though he'd fell..or got thrown from..his broom.

The chatter in the hallway as the students separated to their specific houses was as usual. The Gryffindor students followed obediently behind them as they turned down the familiar path to the Gryffindor tower. Mainly it was the first and second years that did this, the upperclassmen did not follow the head boy and girl, but walked ahead of them.

"There's Harry." Ron said. "Oi Harry!" Ron shouted ahead to a group of boys. Dean, Seamus, Harry, and Neville turned to look back at him.

"Hiya Ron!" Neville waved enthusiastically.

"What's up, glad to see you well!"Dean stopped and waited for them to catch up, as did the others.

"Hey Ron." Harry said when they caught up. Hermione lingered behind from the group, things still awkward between she and Harry, for all she knew he might have wanted more so to hex her than to hug her.

"Hey." Ron grinned at the dark haired boy. "What's up?"

"Nothing….much."Harry sighed. "A lot going on with Voldemort as you probably know."

Hermione hung her head, she'd been so consumed in her own issues but she hadn't ever forgotten about that impending threat. Yet, the way Harry said it, it was as if he was accusing them of something..of like forgetting him.

"Yeah ole Voldy." Ron snorted, patting Neville on the back.

"Ron, perhaps we should go back to the younger students…you know how they tend to have the internal direction of a blind person." Hermione muttered. Ron shrugged.

"See ya later Harry." Ron and Hermione slowed down to let the younger students catch up. Harry and the other boys sped up and around a corner leading to the Gryffindor tower.

Hermione was silent while Ron went back to talking about things. She listened and made little comments when necessary. She could not shake that-

There was a scream as they neared the corner.

Hermione and Ron ran around the corner, the other students behind and ahead of them did as well.

Hermione gasped as she turned the corner first, beating everyone else. "Harry?!"

"What the hell happened?!" came Ron's voice next.

Before them was Harry sprawled on the ground unmoving. Dean and Seamus were slowly getting up off the ground holding their heads. Neville was shaking like a leaf, kneeled over Harry. It was him who had screamed.

"Oh my …" a student whispered.

Hermione and Ron quickly ran up to Neville and Harry's unmoving body.

"Is he.." Ron looked hard at Neville.

"I do not know!" Neville kept his fingers on Harry's pulse.

"Neville..calm down..what happened?" Hermione tried to keep her voice steady. She already knew exactly what had happened..who had did this..

"We turned the corner and suddenly it ..got all cold like...and then it was like a burst of wind and Harry collapsed."

"Yeah.." Dean muttered weakly.

"It was..weird.." Seamus scratched his head.

"Think it was…you-know-who?" Neville was shaking. Hermione put her hand on Neville's shoulder.

"I highly doubt it." Ron said grimly. "Do you feel a pulse ?!"

Neville shook his head.

_He is still with us…_

"He can't be dead. This is ridiculous!" Ron groaned from Hermione's left.

Hermione shook her head. "He is not…I do not believe…he is.."

She looked down unsurely at Harry's unmoving body, he looked clearly dead. She touched his skin and her hand recoiled fast. His skin was insanely hot, how Neville was actually keeping his finger there was a shock to her.

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. She couldn't shake the feeling.

----

**_A/N: Well…well..well…seems like someone's got a vendetta. Well okay guys I hope you liked the chapter and I beg of you to please please review. _**

**_Oh yeah one more thing. I know I said Ron's eyes were green in previous chapters but I know they are not anymore. Thus that is why I said blue in this chapter. I will be going back and editing every "green" for a "blue" sooner or later. Including that chapter 16? Thing about his eyes..okay? goodie! _**

**_Now then. Review, I must know what you are thinking… _**


	21. The Big Question

****

**_Chapter 21_**

The big question

It was the second time in less than twenty four hours that they were inside the hospital wing. Hermione was standing near the door staring at it as if it would spring itself open and allow her to escape. Her hands were clasped together loosely in a contemplative manner, left foot propped against the wall, eyes cast downward like a guilty puppy, and her face was blank except for the fact that she was biting her bottom lip.

Ron was watching her with a slight frown. He himself was sitting in a chair near Harry's bed, his feet propped against the boy's bed. He inclined his head, red hair falling into his face. Harry was lying so still, hadn't moved or said a word since he passed out in the corridor. It had all been so abrupt, almost ridiculous. He knew Harry wouldn't die, how could he? The leading man never dies… apparently. This was all beginning to become a bit too much for him. Madam Pomfrey had told them something he'd never thought he'd hear that woman say.

"I have no idea what is wrong….but I will find out. He seems to have been cursed…but by what I am not certain." She'd said. Ron scoffed and leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes, a slight frown still on his handsome face.

Hermione sighed and shifted her weight at the door. What was he thinking? Ron? She wondered if he blamed her for this, for she certainly did. All of this ..everything that had happened had been her fault. It had to be. First Ginny and now Harry. She wanted to leave this room badly but stayed to give Ron support but he hadn't talked to her since Neville, Dean, and Seamus left the ward five hours ago. She was a bit tired, of everything. When she'd seen Harry on that floor, she thought he'd died until that new voice..the nice voice..told her that he was not. Her worst..one of her worst fears had almost been realized and it would have been her fault. Who's to say how long it would take for Harry to recover. He was completely unresponsive.

She gazed silently over at Ron, he seemed to be asleep in the chair now. Her brown eyes flowed to the window behind him, the sky was beginning to get a purple hue to it, what time was it anyway? Maybe she'd leave…it was not as if her presence was wanted or needed anyway. Ron seemed stressed, Harry was still sore with her, she knew it was her fault. Staying here was just make it worst.

She shifted her weight evenly, her feet landing on the floor with a soft thud She glanced at Ron, he'd shifted slightly but otherwise seemed completely and totally asleep. A small sigh escaped her lips, picking up her bag she pushed open the door to the room and walked out into the hall.

The corridor was dark and empty, a single torch was still lit giving the hall a bit of yellow light onto its stone walls. Hermione adjusted her bag on her shoulders. The night had a certain calm to it, she'd always liked being out at night when no one else was awake, but her general love for the dark was overshadowed by the looming danger that could be lurking anywhere. Yet she felt as if-

Behind her she had not heard the ward door open and then close.

"Hermione." Came a tight voice, drenched in irritation. "Where are you going?"

She turned around to see Ron behind her, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. She could hardly see his face in the semi-darkness so she walked toward him. She was not surprised to see that his frown had deepened slightly, his blue eyes locked on her.

"I was…"

"You were leaving. I know…why? To go to him?"

"To whom?" Hermione said looking away from him.

Ron grunted with annoyance and ran his hands through his hair. "Are you serious Hermione? To who? To that lunatic that's who."

She felt a sudden surge of unattached anger burst through her from her toes to the tips of her fingers. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them. "He is not a lunatic Ron…I was just going back to my dorm."

"You can't go back to your dorm alone…you know that." Ron seemed to calm slightly, the frown on his face was gone at least. "Why not just stay in here until morning? I mean Harry _is _your friend."

Hermione looked at the ground. "Ron…he is mad at me..and …everything that has happened is my fault.." she sighed looking up at him.

"Hermione…it is not your fault. Is he still in your head?" Ron touched her shoulder concernedly.

She shook her head. "I do..not think so..the voice is nicer.." she muttered. She'd never told him about the voice that chimed in her head at supposedly random moments.

"Then what makes you think it is your fault." Ron asked looking down at her with a concerned frown.

"Because it is." She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his for the first time all night. "Everything that has happened…as been because of me."

Ron stared at her. "That is bull Hermione. This is not your fault, it is his. You didn't try to kill me twice, you didn't …do something to my sister, you didn't hurt Harry. Hell can't you see who is doing this?"

Hermione pulled away from him and turned on her heel about to walk away. She did not want to hear this, she had told herself that it was not his fault..it wasn't. Ron 's hand went around her wrist and he turned her back toward him, towering over her at his full height.

"Hermione he's going to kill you if you keep letting him control you..even if he's not doing Occulemency on you, even if he's not in your mind, he still has a hold on you. I can tell." Ron looked down at her. Hermione shook her head.

"You don't know that..you don't understand.." she said, her voice rising slightly.

Ron's frown changed slowly from a concerned frown to a slight grimace. "Are you in love with him Hermione?"

"It-" she stammered but he cut her off, his grip on her wrist slackened and he let it go. Her arm hung limp at her shoulder.

He turned down the hall and walked a few steps away from her, holding his hands to his head. He seemed to be shaking with a slow boiling anger. Quickly he turned back toward her, causing her to step back slightly.

"HE IS DEAD HERMIONE!" his voice echoed in the hall. The sound vibrated against her skull, she couldn't get that fact out of her mind.

"No he is –"

"How…How in the fuck can you even say that?! He is dead! You SAW HIM DIE!" Ron gestured angrily. Her eyes stung with tears, she hadn't wanted to argue.

"Ron please stop yelling." She shook her head. "Just stop it! You don't know what is going on."

"I think I do more than you Hermione." Ron's voice did not lower but he did stop yelling. "Hermione he does not love you." He growled.

Hermione flung her bag to the ground and shoved Ron against his chest hard. No how dare he say that? That he did not love her. He was just jealous. "You are just-"

Ron grabbed her hands to stop her from pushing him and pinned them to her sides. "He hates you Hermione. He hates you don't you get it?! If he loved you he would not do this to you and your friends! _He hates you because you're not Abigail!"_ he looked hard into her eyes.

"He does not-" she was once again cut off by him.

"Yes he does. You're supposed to be the smart one.." he let her arms go and scoffed. "It doesn't seem like it now." He looked sideways at her, frowning still. "Hermione how can you love him? You don't even know him….save what you saw in those memories! He loved HER HERMIONE. NOT YOU. NEVER YOU." Ron scoffed again and shook his head. "He could never love you as much as …someone who's known you." His voice lowered at his last words.

Hermione blinked back tears..why was she crying? "He does…this is why it is all my fault…he's hurt ..lost in the darkness..and he needs me …yes..he needs me Ron. WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT THAT?!"

Ron's eyes widened and then narrowed to slits. "ACCEPT WHAT?! THAT YOU'RE INFACTUATED WITH A DEAD GUY?! THE SHADOW OF A DEAD GUY, WHAT THE HELL EVER THEY CALL IT?! WHAT ARE YOU A NECROPHILIAC?!" Ron scoffed and laughed sardonically for a moment. He walked over to her and took her by the shoulders. "YOU ARE NOT GOING NEAR HIM."

Hermione glared up at him defiantly. "WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME THAT?!"

"YOUR FRIEND THAT'S WHO! YOU NEED TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM BEFORE HE ENDS UP KILLING YOU."

His words once again rang hollow in her mind. "He will not…" she half shouted and half breathed.

"OPEN YOUR EYES!" he shook her by the shoulders a bit roughly. She smacked his hands away. "HE HAS TRIED TO KILL YOUR FRIENDS AND HE'LL DO IT TO YOU!" Ron gave an exasperated sigh.

"That can't be true….HE IS JUST LOST!" she screamed.

"WHAT DOES HE WANT FROM YOU HUH? DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT THAT?!"

She was silent.

Ron looked away from her with a disgusted grunt. "I am beginning to think that you care more about that asshole than you do your own fucking friends!"

"Ron..it's not like that-"

"Then what is it like?! Huh?!" Ron shouted back at her. "Here's another reason he can't love you. He lied to you…he said to you..before you found the truth, that his sister had killed his family…he's been playing you like a fool!"

She opened her mouth wordlessly; he waited for her to speak. She couldn't explain it, it was not her fault? The things he said…they struck somewhere and then floated away like dust. It was impossible...how could he hate her? She had no idea why she felt this way about Richard…in the beginning it was fascination and perhaps interest but never something so deep. And she'd just finally admitted to herself that she loved Ron...she couldn't be in love with two. This love...it other love…it was not hers? No..it was not hers.

"Ron you are being an arse." She stated, suddenly calm.

"What?!" Ron threw his hands in the air with exasperation. "How the hell am I being an arse-"

"…we found her…"

Hermione and Ron both turned around, voices were coming down the hall, several. They pressed themselves against the wall hidden away from the reach of the single torch. As the set of people came down the corridor several of the torches lit themselves but the two remained showed in darkness.

There were about five cloaked adults coming down the hall. They were walking around a floating stretcher covered mostly by a sheet, but the face of the person was slightly visible. Hermione saw a glimpse of red hair as the stretcher passed by.

"Ron..?" Hermione hissed looking over at him. His eyes were wide and following the stretcher as well. She silently took his hand. He swallowed and nodded.

They stepped out of the darkness behind the people and followed them back inside the hospital ward. This is what they saw.

Madam Pomfrey rushed over to the group and looked down at the person on the stretcher, a look of slight grimness on her face. Hermione's grip on Ron's hand tightened.

"Quickly take her over here." The woman said leading them into an curtained area.

The cloaked adults followed and did not come back out. Hermione looked at Ron.

"Ron…I think that.." her eyes seemed bright with a new found glee, short lived as it may be. "was Ginny.."

Ron pulled his hand from hers with a slight grunt of nervousness. She stayed behind and watched him walk forward toward the curtain. The red head went inside the curtain.

He, without thinking, pushed through the adults.

"What the-" one of them muttered.

Ron looked down at the person's face. It was her. It was Ginny. Her red hair was wet and covered in snow, giving it an almost white appearance. Her eyes had dark circles around it and her lips were bruised. He'd expected her to look completely disfigured but it wasn't so. He flung himself on her and hugged her to him. "Ginny it's me! It's your brother. I'm so sorry-"

"Young man, what are you doing in here?" a stern voice said pulling him away from her.

"Let me go!" Ron smacked the person's hand away.

"Weasely!" Magonagal's shrill voice said, she pulled him back again roughly this time.

"Let him go….he just misses his sister." A new voice said in all the commotion.

Ron peered around Magonagal to see Hermione standing there between the now open curtains.

"Granger?!" Magonagal blinked.

"Yes Professor…we were here looking after Harry…and saw you come in." she looked at Ron sheepishly.

"Thank you." He mouthed to her.

She nodded her head silently.

---

The news of Ginny's appearance and Harry's mysterious collapsing incident spread through the school quickly, as most rumors did. The facts were that neither was dead. Ginny was found near the edge of the forest by Hagrid it would seem, she was almost frozen solid, a wound on her seemed to had been cured by her own choppy magic but it was infected now. The wound was clearly a werewolf scratch. She hadn't woken up since they found her, neither had Harry, but while his condition seemed to worsen, hers seemed to improve.

Hermione glanced over at Ron, he was happily taking notes down as the Professor spoke. She smiled to herself and leaned back in her chair, going back to her own work.

Ron continued to draw on his parchment; he was mindlessly doodling, paying little or no attention to what the Professor was saying. He saw Hermione glance at him out of the corner of his eye and smile, he wondered what she was thinking.

His eyes traveled around the room in a bored manner. Neville was with Seamus at a desk, both taking notes. Neville was chewing on the top of his quill. Dean was with a girl who he was fond of. He shot Dean a grin when the boy looked up. Lavender and Parvati were passing notes.

"Ron pay attention." Hermione hissed in his ear, her warm breath tickling the little invisible hairs on his ear.

"Whispering sweet nothings are we?" he gave her a sideways glance and a smirk.

"Cute. Very cute. Pay attention, you were taking such lovely notes." She glanced at his paper and her eyes widened. "Ron!" she hissed covering the drawing up with her hand.

"Pretty isn't it?" he grinned moving her hand from the parchment.

Hermione stared closer at the picture. "Ron what is that?!" she gasped.

"Granger. Weasley. Shut up. If this is a lover's thing take it outside." The professor continued on with teaching without missing a beat.

Hermione's cheeks grew hot, she moved from Ron and hunched over her work silently, scribbling furiously the notes she'd missed.

Ron chuckled and balled up the parchment.

She glanced at him, he was busy writing on a fresh sheet of parchment, his eyes intent on the words and a slight grin on his face. She was happy to see that he was happier since his sister was found but it made her wonder. Why had Richard attacked her…but then again he must was a werewolf that night…then why had he attacked Harry..and Ron twice? It was clear he'd tried to kill them right? She shook her head, she had tried not to think of him, of anything but her work.

"Hey Hermione." Ron leaned over to her sliding parchment under her nose. He chuckled and went back to his side of the desk.

She looked down at the paper and gasped.

**THE STACK****S**

The words were big bold letters with little drawings of books around it and two people, a girl and a boy, a clear caricature of she and Ron looking quite happy for some reason.

Heat rose in her face. "Ron you are disgusting!" she hissed balling the paper up and pushing it back over to him.

"Hey the professor is the one who suggested it." He grinned and shrugged.

She rolled her eyes. "Why..why would anyone even want to go at it in dusty books in the library?" she muttered to herself trying not to laugh.

"I knew you were a freak..eww." Ron said playfully.

"I am not! I would never go in a library…I am going to get married first-shut up Ron" she growled as he kept making little comments while she was talking.

"Ron and Hermione Weasley."the professor said warningly, she continued her lesson without stopping .

"Nice ring to it." Ron muttered going back to his work.

"Quite." Hermione agreed softly, she too going back to work.

"Wait what?" Ron looked at her. She did not look at him but continued working, allowing her bushy hair to fall into her face to hide the expression.

---

The night sky was filled with rolling grey clouds, it was clear snow would be falling soon. Beneath the sky was the great hall, students eating and chatting as usual, mostly about the strange things that had been happening.

Hermione was sitting across from Ron and near Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Ron was periodically throwing in comments about going to the stacks to "get it on" which always resulted from a swift kick from her.

The atmosphere was a bit more cherry today than it had been in weeks. Ron was glad of it. Hermione felt that it was not a good thing. She felt as if she were in the middle of a hurricane, in its eye. She knew the worst was not over just because there was a time of peace. The peaceful atmosphere in fact made her very much anxious.

"Oh quit being so negative, 'Mione." Ron stuffed a handful of grapes into his mouth. Hermione smiled slightly, at least he was calling her 'Mione again.

"Oh Ron, perhaps you are too positive? All light needs a balance of darkness…that what makes it perfection." She sighed poking at her food. "I am anxious Ron..I feel as if there is something to happen as of yet…"she picked up her gold knife and fork and cut into her steak silently.

"Uh..Hermione? Have you ever noticed how odd you sound?" he blinked.

"Meaning?" she looked up at him with raised eyebrows. Yes there was something..he'd never noticed it until he'd seen her eating. She usually put her elbows on the table like everyone else, but now..he could have sworn her napkin was sitting in her lap and she was sitting up perfectly straight. Wait..did she just have her pinky out while drinking from her gold goblet?

"Meaning…you sound overly proper like some chick from last century or something." Ron shrugged and went back to seeing if he could fill his entire mouth with grapes.

"We _are_ British Ron." She chuckled at the sight of his mouth now bulging with grapes. "Do not spray that juice here Ron."

Ron covered his mouth with a napkin and crunched down on the grapes. The juice flew in opposite directions. He swallowed and whipped his mouth. Hermione shook her head.

" 'Mione us being Brits have nothing to do with it. I mean bloody hell you are seriously talking stranegley."

"Oh Ron, do stop worrying about my normal speaking patterns that you just never seemed to notice and go back to stuffing food into your mouth." She rolled her eyes and continued to eat.

"You can stuff something into your mouth when we hit the Stacks" Ron countered smugly.

"Your brothers Fred and George have rubbed off on you." She dug her heel into his foot once again.

A loud tinkle vibrated through the hall. At once everyone fell silent and looked to the high table. Mcgonagal was standing up watching the students expectantly. When everyone was silent she spoke…..

---

…"Can you believe this shit 'Mione. A ball in less than two weeks!" Ron spun her around on the North Tower that night.

"Yes actually I can…..it's for the seniors." She pulled away from him and crossed her arms against the cold. She watched him silently as he turned multiple back flips across the tower before crashing into the telescopes. He stood up as if it never happened, an embarrassed grin on his face.

"Why would they do the senior ball in the dead of winter?" Ron closed his cloak around himself as well.

"Because dear Ronald, the Prefects….they vote on which season to have it in. This year we chose winter." She coolly walked across the tower to the door. "Let's go….it is a bit chilly out."

"Hey I never heard of this vote." He caught up with her and followed her through the door. They walked down the spiraled stairs, he poked her inquiringly.

"Well perhaps if you would come to the meetings…" she scoffed as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

On the way back to the Gryffindor tower to the fat lady's portrait Ron continued to complain about the fact that he had not got to vote.

"Ron..who are you taking to the ball anyway?" she asked in a throw-away manner. She'd expected him to ask Lavender if she was not already spoken for, though with all the fan girls he'd gotten since he turned seventeen, he'd have no problem getting a seventh year girl to go to the ball with him. Anyone but her that is. She was just his ugly friend.

"Oh yeah…that." Ron did not answer her. He approached the fat lady before she could even reach her and said the password. She followed him inside silently. Maybe she could go stag or with Neville…he was always an option.

"Let me guess…you are going to go with one of your fangirls? Karasagi, that Asian exchange student would be happy to go..she told me herself in the hall. She's rather pretty actually." Hermione suggested casually as she ran her hands through her hair, her bushy ugly unremarkable hair.

"Who's that? Nah.." Ron shrugged and began heading toward the boys' staircase. Hermione sighed and made her way to the girls' staircase.

"Hey..Mione.." Ron stopped and came down the stairs again. He waited on her at the foot of the stairs.

"Yeah?" she asked staying where she was, holding the railing and her bags.

Ron pressed his toe against the stairs and watched them began to turn into a slide. Before Hermione knew what was happening she tumbled ungracefully down the stairs and landed in a heap at his feet. He held out his hand triumphantly.

She took it and he pulled her up. "Ron you knew that was going to happen!" she growled. "Now I'm hurting in places I did not know I had!"

"Um..Hermione could you calm down?" he hadn't let go of her hand. His blue eyes were laced with nervousness. What was he nervous about she wondered.

"Sure." She sighed and brushed her hair out of her face. "What is it?"

"Well..I was wondering….if you aren't too busy…." He muttered, she could hardly hear him.

"Ron I can not hear you." She crossed her arms.

"I said." He spoke a bit clearer. "…if you aren't too busy..there's a little gathering a few weeks from now." The expression on his face went from nervous to a bit confident. She had no idea what he was talking about.

"A gathering?"

"Yeah..they call it a ball. I was wondering if you would come." He grinned down at her.

"Of course I'm going to the ball Ron. What are you doing? Practicing your lines on me for when you ask a real girl?" she took her hand from his and turned away.

"No." he grabbed her hand again and turned her around. "I want you to be my date."

Hermione looked up at him wide eyed, he was grinning at her but his eyes were entirely sincere. "What?"

"I want you to go to the ball with me." He repeated.

"Ron that is not funny-"

"And not as a last resort."

----

----

**_A/N: Hiya, Goodwitch here again. Ah yes don't we all love a good ball scene? Well as you see I updated rather quickly didn't I? Well I don't have much to say other than thanks guys for the reviews and I've got a bit more coming. About…I'd say five chapters. I also want to say, I adore reviews, but if you're going to anonymously review I can't reply to you and that breaks my heart. _**

**_Speaking of reviews...you know what to do. Please leave a review, I thrive on them. _**

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**_Also: Special thanks to Lady Kal-El Lover for taking my quiz! Even though you made a 60 on it!_**

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	22. The Ball

_**A/N: **__**Hiya**__**! This is a repost of Chapter 22…I had a little mistake in here. I had put Lavender with Zane instead of **__**Parvati**__**. Thanks to one observant reader I was able to correct that. Well happy reading **_

_**Chapter 22**_

The Ball

The freezing water crashed into the jagged rocks below. The moon hung full in the sky over the body of water, casting it's luminescence over the inky blackness. Snow swirled furiously over the sweeping grounds, Pyreflies mixed with it giving the night a special glow. The school stood tall and ominous against the snow, the castle windows all had a warm glow coming from them. In the Gryffindor tower a girl, Hermione, could be seen putting on her earrings for the ball.

On her feet were satin ivory crystal studded sandals, they were covered by the sweeping skirt of her ball gown. Her ball gown was a dark blue sapphire shade; it had a long slight train at the back and was covered in sheer organza. The dress came outward at the bottom as a traditional ball gown would. The dress's back dipped down low and it was sleeveless. Her arms were adorned with opera type gloves reaching her elbows. Her dress framed her body in the most positive light; it clung flatteringly to her small curves. Her neck was adorned with a stunning two strand diamond necklace and her ears wore matching earrings to the piece. Her brown hair hung straight and swept her shoulders lightly as it framed her face, it shined like gleaming chestnut.

"I am quite glad mother let Aunt DeBora Rachelle design this at such short notice." She smiled at her reflection and spun around in the mirror. For the first time she actually felt beautiful.

Hermione let nothing worry her tonight, she pushed back all of the thoughts in her mind and the small feeling of foreboding bubbling in her gut. Tonight she would have fun. Tonight things would change.

She smiled at her reflection and breathed in. "Wish me luck" she shrugged her shoulders at her mirror image and turned on her heel, her dress sweeping the empty dormitory. The other girls had already gone. She opened the door of the dormitory.

_Good luck…_

---

Hermione stood silently at the gleaming doors of the Great Hall; she breathed inward and stood taller. The ball had already started, she hadn't actually intended to come in fifteen minutes late but now she could make a grand entrance. A grand entrance she had no desire in making.

She pressed her gloved hand against the door and pushed it open.

The great hall had been transformed into a beautiful ball room. The floors gleamed, the walls shined with golden glory, the ceiling showed a chilly night sky and a glowing full moon. On a stage where a band played, the Year of the Class was shown in beautiful glittering lights behind the instruments. Couples filled the floor, dancing in synch almost in their colorful gowns and robed suits.

Her eyes scanned the tables that lined the wall. Her eyes landed on a red head, the face wasn't turned to her but to two people talking to this person. She walked forward, her heels clinking delicately on the floor. She swallowed and smiled brightly walking over to them. As she neared the couple talking to him she noticed it was Neville, dressed in a rather handsome deep red velvet dress robe and beside him was Luna Lovegood, in a rather colorful dress with two large flowers in her hair.

Luna looked up first, her permanently wide eyes widened even more so and a grin lit her up face. "Look who it is. Trying to make a grand entrance are we?" she pulled a small object out of her purse and aimed it at Hermione telling her to "say Wesker".

"Hey Hermione." Neville stumbled slightly as he moved to shake her hand. She smiled and glanced back at Luna. Neville followed her gaze and shook his head lightly. "She decided to come with me to the ball because I wasn't brave enough to ask anyone else." He admitted with a coy smile.

"Well I think that's nice Neville. Perhaps you and her should dance." She said as a new song was struck up by the band, a slower beat with a simple tempo she was sure he would be able to keep up with.

"Lovely idea." Luna came up behind him and carted him off pointedly toward the dance floor.

Hermione tapped the red head on the shoulder and was taken aback. It was not Ron, it was some boy that just happened to have long hair.

"Hey get your own date!" a girl said rushing over quickly in a long black gown and taking the boy's hand possessively.

"Eh. Sorry.." Hermione muttered walking away from them. Great, she already was having a bad time and she'd just gotten-

She bumped into someone. A tall someone that towered over her by at least a foot or two. Her eyes panned up over the boy's clothes, a mostly black with silver trim mesh between a dress robe and a suit. It fit to his body nicely showing off his athletic and tall frame. She looked up into the most handsome face she'd ever seen, one of his eyes covered by shoulder sweeping flaming red hair that set good against all the black he was wearing.

"Ron?" she breathed slightly. "You look …almost unrecognizable." Her cheeks becoming slightly inflamed at the sight of him.

He gazed down at her, looking over her dress and her beauty, taking it all in. His eyes lingering slightly on several areas of her body making her shift uncomfortably and blush even harder. "Wow..you're beautiful." He said as his blue eyes connected with hers.

"Thank you." She mumbled.

He smiled and took one of her blue gloved hands in his. "I want to give you something…lets go over here." He said leading her across the dance floor to a corner near two doors that led onto a balcony.

" I do as well actually." Hermione said.

It was weird talking to him now. They were friends yes….but being here…as his date…it was a bit hard to talk to him. She had not been nervous or shy with Viktor Krum; in fact she had made sure she'd had a lot of fun with him in order to upset Ron. But now what she'd wanted had happened: he'd finally asked her out. Finally had been mature enough and asked her out and not as a last resort. The past two weeks after he'd asked her to this ball, it had all went a bit slow but fast at the same time. They hadn't spoken anymore of the ball because the talk of it just made them both anxious and very awkward. There was something between them and now it was sitting out there waiting to be addressed yet neither talked of it. She knew what it was from her point of view, but did he? No they were friends and that's all they'd ever be ...for now.

"Great. I'll give you mine first." He said with adorable enthusiasm. He dug unceremoniously into his pocket and produced a delicate silver chain, on this chain was a beautiful elegantly crafted heart- shaped locket encrusted with seven beautiful stones, all a different color.

"I..I've been preparing this for a while actually.." he continued as he unclasped the locket. "It's from the forever-shine diamond collection at Kay Jewelers..I'd went and got it resized that day we'd found out about Ginny. See there's seven stones in it to symbol-"

"Symbolize how many years you've known that person." She said softly gazing up at him, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Yeah! How'd you know?" he asked. "Wait don't tell me yet. Um look at the inside." He fumbled the latch on the locket open and handed it to her.

There was a picture of her and Ron on the inside. They were posing happily, it was a summer picture taken before school started, Harry had been holding the camera. In the picture Ron kept brushing her hair from her face as it was constantly blowing into it from the stiff summer wind. The picture changed to an overhead view of the two playing in the leaves this year, then another of them in their fifth year having a snow fight with Harry and the twins, the pictures kept changing into fond memories.

"Oh Ron…this is so nice." She breathed biting her lip.

"Oh that's not all." He closed the locket and showed her the seven different colored stones on the front.

"Oh?" she looked down at the stones with interest.

"Yes. The one at the bottom of the heart, right at the tip, the dark stormy looking stone, it represents your first year; you know the year we met. It means your slate is dark as you've just not seen the light about your magic." He was talking with such abandon, she knew he'd put a lot of thought into this. "The second stone coming up the left side, the deep chocolate one, is your eye color. That's the year I actually noticed how..pretty your eyes were." He said glancing at her. "The third stone, for the third year…" he continued on. "The fourth stone, the periwinkle blue one is for the color of the dress you wore in our fourth year. I admit I was a bit jealous of you and Krum. The fifth stone is for the fifth year…" he continued on. "And the seven stone, it's that silvery white color because it's looking to the future, for what could happen, so that's why the slate is white. You have a new beginning. Neat huh?"

Hermione nodded, unable to speak. Ron took this silence as a good sign and turned the locket on its back. "Read that 'Mione."

_I love when I make you laugh. I hate to make you cry. I love you and forever my love will shine brighter than the sun. I love you for being there and being my friend first._

_-Ron_

Hermione looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "Oh Ron…" she did not know what to say. She was speechless. He smiled at her and silently took the locket from her and walked behind her. She felt him gently move her hair from her neck, exposing it. He silently placed the locket around her neck and clasped it.

She touched it and held it in her hand, taking this time to blink back her tears.

"Do you like it?" Ron asked and turned her around toward him. She nodded silently.

"I love it….Ron I have something ...for you too…but it is not as special..I fear I acquired mine from the same place on that same day but I hadn't come in the shop with the intent at first." She muttered producing an identical locket from her small purse.

"Oh if it's from you then it's already special." Ron said taking it from her. "What are the blue stones for?"

"They are for the color of your eyes…yes not as special as what you gave me. And of course the seven stones is the years I've had been with you, and there's an engraving on the back. It says "I love it when you make me laugh. I hate it when you make me cry. I love you and forever my love will shine brighter than the moon. I love you for being there and being my friend first." She said rather quickly. "It is not as quite as amazing I know-"

Ron tipped her face up and placed a finger on her lips to silence her. Her cheeks grew warm and she was so distracted by his touch that she did not notice how nervous he was. "I love it Hermione. I think it's kind of strange how we are on the same wavelength though." He smiled at her and pulled her close, taking her in a brief hug.

It was then that a new song came on, a fast paced Latin song.

"Oh let's dance!" Ron shouted over the music, getting her by the hand and pulling her back towards the dance floor.

"Ron shall we wait a second!" she shouted uselessly as they reached the middle of the dance floor amongst dozens of other dancers.

"C'mon let's see now." He laughed taking one of her hands and placing the other one gingerly on her waist.

Hermione let go of the fact that she was dancing with Ron Weasley when he began to spin her around in tempo to the fast Latin beat. She laughed and allowed him to lead as the song sped up.

They were lost in the Latin song, doing moves she would have never thought he knew how to do. As they danced to the song they did not notice how everyone else had stopped dancing had cleared the majority of the dance floor watching them with awe and amusement.

The last beat of the song, Ron bent her down dramatically, their faces mere inches apart. Her face was flushed and he was laughing slightly. He brushed a loose strand of hair from her face and pulled her up.

"Oh heaven." Hermione muttered looking around. Everyone began to clap enthusiastically. Luna whistled.

"Brilliant I think." Ron snorted and took her hand and raised it into the air with his.

"How embarrassing." She couldn't help but smile.

Hermione walked off the dance floor to a table and sat down as a new song started a slower one. Ron left her side to go get drinks.

She watched the others have fun, her feeling of dread was gone for now. Maybe nothing bad was going to happen. She ran her fingers across the locket that now adorned her neck and overshadowed her other necklace. What did this mean? Did this mean that Ron…

"Hey, Hermione"

Parvati Patil was standing over her, her arm around the waist of a tall boy. It was the same young man she'd seen in Kay Jewelers.

"We meet again." He said catching her eye. She nodded and watched them sit down across from her.

"Who were you supposed to be out there? Shakira?" Parvati giggled and did an exaggerated hand movement in her black gloves.

"No." Hermione smiled slightly, she vaguely wondered how a witch knew about a muggle singer.

"Parvati here is just bitter because I wouldn't dance to that song with her." Zane joked kissing her on the cheek. Hermione watched them joking with each other.

"You know..you and Ron…you two could pull off being a couple. I mean wow..you guys were so in synch with each other." Parvati said looking behind Hermione. "Well speaking of the devil, there he is. See you." She got up and pulled Zane along with her.

Ron returned less than a minute later with two crystal glasses; he sat down beside her, a grin across his face. "Isn't this fun?" he handed her one of the bubbling purple drinks.

"Yes…though you made an entire scene on the dance floor." She snorted lifting the tip of the glass to her lips and sipping some of it. The liquid was insanely sweet and went down smoothly, leaving a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. She looked up and noticed Ron was staring at her. Sure he did that anyway, but this time it was a bit different. It was softer…which threw her in many ways. She blushed slightly and looked into her glass.

"You know what I'm glad of? I thought that something was sure to happen…but I guess not." Ron shrugged; he'd already finished his drink and now was watching the others dance.

"Meaning?" she asked, but she needn't have inquired, it was a bit clear what he meant. She didn't understand why she could suddenly understand him more right now than usual, it was as if a whole new channel had been opened up between them.

"You know. That boy." Ron shrugged looking at her and tossing his hair over his shoulder.

"Oh….that boy." She muttered. "I thought the same thing." She sighed and sipped her drink silently.

They sat in silence, thinking to themselves about random unimportant things. Ron would glance at her sometimes, she'd glance at him. They'd catch the others eye and look away, red tinge on their cheeks. The two watched the swirling dresses and the girls that wore them. They watched the boys that led those swirling girls. They began to talk about things that had happened in the past two weeks, so much that an hour and thirty minutes passed without them realizing.

"Let's dance again." Ron said suddenly standing and holding out his hand.

"You never quit do you?" Hermione smiled and stood as well, placing her hand in his. A strange tingling sensation shot through her fingers as she touched him, even though she wore gloves. "Oh..yes.." she breathed as she heard the beginning of the song start. "A slow song."

"Well..not_ that _slow." He commented as he led her to the floor.

They found a spot amongst the slow moving dancers. She faced him and looked up at him with a slightly tense smile.

He cleared his throat slightly as she placed one of his hands on her waist and the other in his, and placed her other hand on his shoulder.

"You are going to lead I hope?" she rolled her eyes goodheartedly. He nodded silently, his hair falling gently into his face.

They began to sway on the spot. The singer, a boy group, sung softly, the words seemed to reflect the feelings of several of the people dancing. Perhaps even them. Slowly they began to loosen up, she allowed him to pull her close to him. She lay her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

As the dancers were lost in their moment the lights dimmed slightly allowing the great hall's ceiling that reflected the night sky to show alone. The full moon was the only light across the dance floor now, it's beautiful light seemed directed slightly more so on Hermione and Ron as they swayed together.

The song changed without anyone realizing it and a female singer joined the male singer. Hermione muttered incoherent words. "I love you."

She looked up at Ron, his blue eyes were so powerful in the light. He looked away up at the sky. "Beautiful." He muttered. She knew he had not heard her words before..and she was slightly glad.

Silently, she laid her head back against his chest and he put his arms around her. They continued to sway silently.

Everything was perfect.

The dancers were lost deep in their moment as the singers were lost deep in their song. Several lights had begun to dance around the students, whispering in a strange way it would seem.

Hermione felt a sudden fleeting feeling of worry, a chill ran through her. She wondered if Ron could feel it too. She looked up at him. All the dancers had stopped. The singers had stopped. The music had stopped. It was an eerie silence. No one was moving. Ron was not in front of her anymore…

"So romantic isn't it…" The person said through long black hair covering most of his face, silver eyes looking at her coldly.

Hermione was too shocked to move or say anything.

"Ron?" she looked around.

Luna was dancing with Neville. They were completely still, lost in mid-step. Parvati was in mid kiss with Zane, both completely still. Everyone was not moving…except she and him. She let fear take her. What was happening?

"Don't you remember this night?" he laughed sardonically and looked around the ballroom with an unreadable expression. "You were there…you should have known this was about to happen." Richard held out his hand.

She stared at it. What was going on? Should she take it? It seemed …but she …she wanted to take it. She slowly extended her gloved hand and placed it in his.

…The song ended and everyone slowly stopped dancing. Ron looked around. Where was she? She was dancing with him a few seconds ago….and suddenly it felt as if her hand fused through his. The lights came back to their original glow, everyone was clapping.

"Hermione?" Ron looked around. His eyes fell on a glass double doors that led to the balcony. He blinked. There was a girl in a pure white dress talking to a tall black haired boy, they were showed in those..Pyreflies..and they seemed semi-transparent. Suddenly a sick feeling went through him.

_He_ had her. Ron had to find her.

_**A/N: **__**Welly**____**welly**__** wells. Hmm….**__**I'm**__** not entirely happy with this chapter but there wasn't much to do with it. I'll be updating soon. Now please …leave reviews. **_

_**Guess what? It's July 18**__**th**__**. I just turned 17. And I know you're like…WTF shouldn't she be like partying? Well yeah**____**I will be just not right now. **__**So**__** anyway I want to thank MJ-Hedwig and Rupert's. **__**Girl for telling me Happy Birthday.**_


	23. Fade Into Light

**_Chapter 23_**

Fade Into Light

The night air was chilled far more than anything that was normal. Snow whipped through a fierce wind and rain. Hermione tugged against his hand again, the wind slapping her in the face causing her cheeks to smart as the ice burned it.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked again, trying to stay calm, she did not want to know how she was feeling. She looked back at the school as it loomed over head, all of its lights on, it's glowing warmth. It all made her feel even more so far away, as if she was stranded in darkness.

The figure pulling her, Richard, did not answer her. He pulled her along wordlessly. She could not see where they were headed for the snow's flurry blinded her peripheral vision, but he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. His hair moved in the wind roughly, he did not care to move it from his face. Hermione asked him again, screaming over the freezing rain, what he was doing. Once again she heard no answer. He led her silently across the sprawling garden, and suddenly it was as if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

There were two people walking slowly by, talking, and laughing. One in a beautiful white gown, the other in handsome suit. She wondered if they could see her. She called out to them, they ignored her. She peered closer as they passed by them. The couple was semi-transparent and Pyreflies circled around them and clung to them almost in a mist like fashion.

_Pyreflies__ can recreate the memories of the dead__..and__ the living…_

Suddenly she knew who that was. Her stomach sank. It was no use calling out to them for they would never hear her. They were the memories of Abigail and Richard. She was alone out here, no one was going to notice she was gone. Richard led her away from the garden through the strange frigid weather.

"Richard answer me!" she screamed at the back of his head. He did not say anything to her, he just continued leading her. "Let me go!" she tugged and her hand slipped from his.

She ran from him, fighting the biting cold rain that sunk into her bones, the snow that blurred her vision when complimented with rain. She tripped and her shoes fell from her feet. Suddenly she was grabbed roughly by the forearm and snatched to her feet.

"Why are you doing this to me?!" she cried as she looked into the face of her captor. But was he really her captor? She'd willingly took his hand. It was not until they'd made it outside that she realized something was about to happen to her. Suddenly the wind seemed a little calmer, she could see him clearer.

"You still do not get it do you?" Richard wore a small smile on his face. It was something very wrong about this smile..it was not a smile at all. He spoke so calmly as if she were not struggling against him. When she did not answer he made a small 'hmph' noise and pulled her back the way they were going.

"Let me go!" she begged pulling against him, digging her bare heels into the ice. She fell to the ground, her arm slipping from the glove. Richard frowned slightly and flung the glove away into the ground.

"You are making this harder than it has to be. Why must you annoy me so?" he watched her as if she was an mildly amusing performer..

She crawled away backward, taking off her other glove as she did. He stood there watching her, not seeming to care. "Stay away from me." She stumbled to her feet and tried to run. Suddenly he was in front of her. She stopped short, trying to catch her breath.

"Come now Miss Hermione, do not make this a game." He said calmly, but when he grabbed her around her wrist it was roughly. Gone were the gentle words and gestures she'd remembered. She flinched as the cold pain chorused through her wrist.

His dim silver eyes looked from her up at the sky. She looked up as well. The moon was hidden behind thick grey clouds but they both knew it was full.

"No…..you're not safe!" she snatched her wrist away while he was distracted and ran flat out from him. She held up her dress so it would not drag and slow her down. Her running was so fast that it seemed she was flying. She had to get away from him.

"I'm getting tired of this."

In a flash he was standing in front of her. He grabbed both her wrists. She fought against him trying to pull away. His nails sunk into her already whelped wrists and the snow was speckled with red.

"Let me go! Let me go!" she cried kicking at him, pulling away, anything to free herself from his chilly grasp. He held firmly on to her until she tired herself. Hermione sunk to her knees and sobbed silently. "What do you want with me?"

Richard was on his knees too, still holding her wrists and looking at her with that same expression. It was clear he did not care about her tears. "Not much." He said coldly standing and pulling her up with him. "Now that you have finished your futile attempts at getting away shall we get this over with?" he grabbed her by the hair and made her look up at him.

Tears streaked her face, her eyes were blinded by the cold tears in her eyes, she could not see his face and she did not want to. "Why are you doing this to me?" she whimpered.

Richard's cold hand brushed across her face, not in a loving manner mind you, he was annoyed. Her tears were wiped from her eyes. She looked up in his eyes and saw something flash behind them.

"You know, you should listen to your little boyfriend more often. He was completely exact when he stated that. "Richard said shaking his head and pulling her again roughly. He pulled her so hard that she fell to the ground. Her dressed streaked wet snow and blood spots.

"I thought you…" she sobbed into hands. She thought he'd cared about her. Thought he'd loved her.

"Loved you? Did you really think that?" he sat on the ground beside her and placed a hand on her back, his lips close to her ear. "Like I said. You should listen to your friend more often. I hate you. I could never love you. Though your stupidity did play in my favor." He patted her on the back as her sobs got worse.

He did not love her. He never loved her. He hated her. Then what did he want with her?

He stood up, dusting the snow from his clothes and pulled her up roughly once again. "There's a consequence for being a fool, Hermione." He pulled her along roughly.

With her strength gone there clearly was nothing much more for her to do but allow him to lead her. She was cold, weak, and emotional. She followed behind him without speaking; he did not loosen his grip on her arm though.

She had to get away, what did he want with her? She did not want to know. She wanted to get away from here. More than ever did she wish she was in her dorm room cuddled in the warmth of her bed, having girly dreams about love… Or maybe in class doing work, studying for an exam. Even more so she wished she was at home, at her nice two story house in a neighborhood of muggles. Maybe at Ron's house talking to his mother or ignoring Fred and George's inane tactics. Not here...not weak and cold…not knowing what was about to happen to her.

"Because I'm not her…that's why isn't it?" she muttered softly as they began to enter the Forbidden forest. The snow hung as ice shards on the trees, and the canopy blocked out the majority of the wind, snow, and rain. "You hate me….because I am not her…but I look like her." She repeated almost to herself.

"Do not flatter yourself. Do not try to understand with your twisted female logic." He said chuckling rudely. "You look only similarly to her….you are completely ungraceful, and unremarkable. Plain. But..." he made a small 'hmph' sound. "That can be fixed...you'll have to do." He pulled her along through the forest.

Hermione looked behind her suddenly. Running toward her was a girl in a white ball gown…long flowing brown hair. Her face wore a frightened expression. Richard had stopped too and was watching the girl run toward them with the same expression he'd had since he'd been with Hermione.

The girl…was Abigail. Or …her memory image. The same one she'd seen in the garden. She continued to run toward them. Hermione shivered violently as the girl ran directly into and through them both and disappeared behind a tree.

"Pyreflies...make memories of the living and dead.." she muttered to herself. Richard scoffed and pulled her along.

"You loved her….didn't you?" she whispered, her question torn away by the wind. She didn't need him to answer that question. She already knew he did, she'd seen it in his eyes when he'd looked at her..in those memories…

"You're pathetic." Came his cold reply. His words cut deep into her, why did she let them bother her? Her feelings…

"Where are we going? What is the point in all of this? Why won't you leave me alone?" she asked suddenly angry at his abruptly taking her from the most magical moment of her life.

"Oh are you angry at me?" he said calmly, it was clear he thought very little, or nothing of her.

"Are you going to answer me?" she countered her voice hard, she tried not to let it crack though right now she felt like crying.

"Fine." He said pulling her deeper into the snow filled woods. Silently she hoped he'd run into the centaurs, that maybe they could help her. "We are going to a clearing in the forest. What is the point of all this? To right a wrong dear Hermione. Why won't I leave you alone? "He chuckled, his laugh showed no true amusement.

"You'll see soon enough." He said pulling her along through the forest.

Her feet were numb now and burned with inflammation. Her dress was torn in three places, including on her top causing her black strapless bra to be exposed slightly. Her hands were red and numb, her eyes watered and burned, her hair was askew all over her head. She was sure she looked terrible, where only moments ago she was beautiful.

"If this…if this only has to do with me….why….why did you hurt my friends? Why Ginny? Why Harry? Why Ron twice? Why not Luna?" she asked, her voice harsh now because of the cold.

"You ask many questions." He commented, his voice as stoic as ever.

"Tell me. I have a right to know." She said, surprising herself with her forcefulness.

"Fine." He tightened his grip on her wrist, the cold bit deeper into her marrow of her bones making her hand tremble.

"You want to know? I hurt them because I was a bit bored, waiting on this day to come. Not to mention…I just don't like the people you associate with. Especially not the red head, the boy. Who is this Luna you speak of?"

They continued on, through a unmarked area of the forest, deep into the trees where branches stuck out haphazardly, cutting Hermione's arm, leaving small bloody scars.

"Luna Lovegood. The blond..she looks…like Lumina….you attacked everyone else that resembled someone from your own life….why not her?" she was trying to distract him, so then she could run.

"Ahhh….the one with the protruding eyes." He looked up at the sky before continuing. "I met her, she is a strange girl. Luna…you should have listened to her as well….she does not rely on books as you do." He said coldly. "I met her a few weeks ago; we even had a little chat. Though she does seem a bit…foolish and doddering."

Hermione let what he said sink in. Luna had met him and actually had a conversation with him?! She noticed his grip had slackened only slightly. She slowly pulled her hand back . She grunted in pain as he squeezed her wrist painfully, she swore she felt something crack.

He grunted with annoyance and ignored her painful moaning and squirming.

They both heard the sound of an wild beast nearby. Hermione shook, her body sending shock waves through her. He merely sighed and turned in the direction of the sound.

"Why are we going that way?! There's something out there!" she said, her initial anxiety returned.

"Silence." He said, it was more of a question than a command. He pulled her through two thick trees and they came upon a small clearing, covered in snow. The remnants of Pyreflies had just faded from the area but Hermione saw, before the Pyreflies disintegrated, a girl. Abigail laying on the ground, eyes staring up at the sky.

"Now it can begin." He muttered pulling her into the center of the clearing.

He let go of her hand for a split second and she took off running. He quickly caught her and flung shoved her against a tree, pinning her hands behind her painfully.

"You are beginning to aggravate me." He said in that deathly calm voice of his. She leaned away from him, her eyes wide with fear.

"Let her go!" the words were accompanied by a sharp blast of magic, landing centimeters from Hermione's and Richard's faces.

Richard let Hermione's arms go, a small grin went across his face though the rest of his face seemed to be frowning. He brushed her hair back from her face, smoothing it down. "Cue the night in shining armor. In the form on a moron." He said softly, though his words had a hard edge to them, dripping with malice. Hermione trembled from his touch, she did not want him to touch her. Suddenly he let her go. She fell to the ground.

He turned toward the speaker.

Ron was standing there near the edge of the clearing, his wand pointed. He was covered in snow and seemed to be slightly out of breath. His blue eyes gleamed with anger. He looked from Richard to Hermione. She looked up at him, finally someone was here.

"I was waiting for you to show up. Nothing like a pointless battle before the inevitable happens." Richard said walking slowly toward Ron.

"And what's that you sick bastard?" Ron growled.

"Of course. The part where I win." He laughed softly as if Ron were telling a slightly amusing joke.

"I'm going to blast that fucking smile off your face." Ron growled pointing his wand at Richard as if it was a gun.

"You are so vulgar."Richard tossed his hair, which in itself seemed to taunt Ron.

Hermione by now had stuggled to her feet. She searched her dress for her wand.

"Expelliar-" Ron raised his wand but was cut off in mid sentence. Ron's hands flew to his mouth in horror and slight pain. His mouth was sewing itself shut with thick leather giving him the appearance of a doll used for darker magic.

"Ron!" Hermione screamed as he fell to the ground while the spell finished working on him.

"It's called _Silence _it prevents the caster from using magic…" Richard watched Ron try in vain to pry his mouth open. He kicked Ron's wand back toward him.

"Why are you doing this to us?!" Hermione ran past Richard to Ron and he let her. She got on her knees and handed him his wand.

"You really want to know?" Richard said walking around them slowly.

Hermione could not remember where she'd put her wand. There had been a hidden flap in the dress where she'd put it…but perhaps it had been too well hidden. She looked at Ron and took his wand from him. Then pointing it at his face she cast _Vox_, without speaking. His mouth suddenly unsowed himself leaving no trace of the spell.

"You are lucky to have her Ronald. Always very..crafty…not that bright though. It is a shame that she can cast without speaking..but you cannot." Richard's eyes were locked on Ron's as Ron's were to his. They did not take their eyes from each other. It was clear the destestment flowing between them. "But then again..you're always second best are you not Ronald. Pathetic. You two are made for each other." He laughed. "Too bad that won't be happening."

"What do you plan to do with us?" Hermione watched him walking around them slowly.

"I will tell you-" Richard said. Before he finished Ron had suddenly stood and lunged himself at the raven haired sorcerer. Richard laughed and raised his hand, a wand in it this time; Ron was stopped in mid air and flung against a tree on the other side of the clearing.

"Ron!" Hermione cried running over to him, ignoring the budding pain in her feet.

"I'm okay." Ron grunted, standing up slowly, and looking for his wand. He blew his hair from his eyes and took her hand. "We're getting out of here." He muttered to her. Pulling her along they ran to the nearest exit of the clearing.

They slammed into an invisible barrier, cold as ice and hard as brick. Richard laughed coldly.

"I'd been watching you for a while now…waiting for someone..and there you were." Richard said calmly. It was clear he was talking to Hermione. He came over to the two, their eyes both disoriented from hitting the invisible wall so hard. He kicked Ron away from her and picked her up until she could stand, he took her back to the middle of the clearing.

"Don't you realize …this day? This is the same day…the exact same day…ahh yes irony strikes again doesn't it." He flung her into the snow and remained standing. He was looking down at her with a slight frown of odium. "This is the only day it will work." He said.

Hermione opened her eyes again. He was standing over her, peering down at her but periodically looking over at who she knew was Ron.

"What ..?"

Ron was watching this, unable to do anything. He knew if he tried to attack Richard it would do nothing but get them hurt. He would have to wait for an opportunity. He looked at the girl laying on the ground. He hated seeing her like this, weak, torn, and probably a bit angry. He wanted to save her…he wanted to help her. He ignored the throbbing pain in his neck, shoulders, and arm. All he worried about was her. He had to get her away from that nut.

"You should blame Ron…yes him. It is his fault. I knew you were weak at the beginning of you seventh year. Not only because of the fact that your sister was about to get married but because of the stress of being a seventh year. More importantly, the stress of being friends with him." He looked over at Ron, then back down at Hermione. "You see." He took out his wand and began making fluid circular motions around Hermione. "That's when I came in. That night you came onto the astronomy tower….I waited for you."

Hermione listened to his words. He had planned all of that.

"Every time the one you loved hurt your little feelings…I came to make you happy. Yes…you see….Ron….I used your immaturity against you."

Hermione sat up and looked back at Ron. He looked away, he seemed ashamed.

"It was an unnecessary thing…but I knew it would be easier to make you trust me up until this night. And you did trust me…" Richard said airily, his wand hand still moving in circular motions around Hermione. "You see…Hermione, you are perfect..for this anyway. You do..as you said..have her physical features…generally." Richard looked down at her.

She shook her head. She refused to believe all of this had been planned by him. He'd been virtually controlling every aspect of her life for the past months…and she'd been weak enough to… "But…what about the Occulemency?"

"Oh yes..that." Richard said dryly. "I used it to talk to you in your mind…to learn your thoughts. Sniveling girlish thoughts if I do say so myself." He used his free hand to brush his hair out of his eyes.

Hermione stared into that face. It had the same features, the same handsome features that had first caught her, the same hair, the same eyes..though lacking in something. But this was not the Richard from those memories. He'd lost his heart in darkness, hate, despair…he seemed void of real emotion now. All of that…..all of that had been false.

"But….I know what you mean. What I showed Ron that night on the tower? When I kicked him repeatedly in the side? That was just an act. I was not controlling you…I merely put the thought in your head. Those were your words Hermione…or were they? That is what perplexes me…those words..I had heard those before.." he trailed off, not talking to her anymore but muttering silently to himself thoughtfully.

The thought crossed her mind to attack right now. To stop him and get she and Ron away. But his wand was still pointed at her, still going in a circle. He was a bit too smart for that. Instead she watched him. She too wondered….if he had not been controlling her, if all of those things Ron had told her about the occulemency. Those were not true….then…what had made her so angry with Ginny? With Luna? What had possessed her to say such horrible things to them? She too had seen an outburst similar to that…

"And I continue.." he said once again looking down at her. "..it seems that I initially stopped following you through your mind, I was done with you for the moment…so tell me…who have you been talking to?"

Hermione stared at him. Did he truly not know of the new voice in her mind? She'd noticed how the voice had changed from dark, cruel, calculating and a bit insane. She noticed how it'd changed to somber, sad, sweet, gentle..and caring. It was her wasn't it? It was Abigail.

"I'd also love to know how you learned to play her harp so well." He said, a white light burst from his wand and a circle was drawn around Hermione. Lines slowly connected under her with the circle and soon she was laying in the center of a strange symbol. "Very well…anything else you would like to know?"

"What do you want with her!" Ron's voice came, it was a bit closer now, and he'd been silently nearing them for a while now.

"I was waiting for you to say that." Richard said calmly. He continued what he was doing with the symbol, it changed colors multiple times. White. Ivory. Black. Silver.

Ron silently moved closer to the large white circle that didn't seem to light up the area even though it's luminescence burned his eyes. He moved closer to her. Soon he was in the middle of the circle with her, Richard was looking up at the sky but he knew he was aware of everything going on.

"Hermione." He said softly. "I lost my wand.." he looked down at her. She stared at him, glad to see a friendly face looking into hers during such a dire circumstance.

"Mine is in my dress..somewhere." she muttered, barely moving her lips. Ron understood. He would have to find it.

"I am going to use you Hermione." Richard said, his tone even more duller than before, he seemed bored with everything that was happening below on the ground. He was still staring at the moon, his silver eyes matching the color.

Ron's hands traveled quickly over her dress, feeling around for the pocket that concealed the wand. Oh where was it?

"I am going to use you to bring her back…yes…her. Abigail. She will take your body and live again…and you..will be a drifting spirit…that's not my problem though. That's Ron's. You see…we died with an injustice…I have to have her. But you wouldn't understand that. There will be no need soon enough. I will take from you your strength-"

Ron found it. He pulled it from her dress and hid it in his robes. Then he took her hand and intertwined their fingers, his face set.

"-your life…and I will have her back. And then it will be you Ronald, you who will have to live without your soul mate, drift as if you yourself were dead…ahh yes…you'd sooner let it all go and die to be with this unremarkable girl…than live on knowing that you'll never find a better love. You will see how it feels….to lose everything. To lose something you did not appreciate until it was gone..you don't deserve this. I do."

With his words the clouds were moved from the moon. The moon seemed to shine directly on Ron and Hermione, the light symbol was set aglow.

"It is time now." Richard said. Ron noticed..it was weird to notice something so trivial at the worst moment, yet he noticed that the rain, the snow had increased again and fell on them in buckets. He noticed that Richard was completely dry and unfazed by it. "She will get what she lost." Richard backed away from the light circle slightly and pointed his wand directly at Hermione.

Hermione looked up, maybe she could stop him…maybe she could. She looked into his face and looked away just as quickly, hiding her face in Ron's chest. Something warm..something safe.

His eyes had changed. They were black now. Completely and totally black, no pupil, no iris, nothing. Just blackness.

"Oh don't be afraid Hermione. We swear we won't hurt you." Richard said, his tone was so devoid of emotion she had to question herself if he'd ever been human. But then she remembered, he had been..he still was….somewhere.

Suddenly a beam of white light shot from Richard's wand and hit her in the chest. She felt no pain, in fact..she hardly felt anything at all.

"Hermione!" Ron watched her be lifted into the air as the beam connected with each line on the symbol.

Soon every beam connected under her and she was engulfed in a white glow. Ron watched in horror.

_Do something_

Ron looked around. He'd heard a voice…..beautiful….angelic.. …soft….musical…..calming and polite.

_Do something……!_

Ron stood and ran toward Richard who's black eyes were watching Hermione's illuminated body twist in the air. He thought of nothing but stopping him from doing this to her. He crashed into Richard and they both tumbled down a slight hill. Near the edge of the clearing.

Behind them the light abruptly went out and Hermione was floated back down to the earth engulfed in that gentle white light. She seemed to fall downward in slow motion. Gently she was laid down onto the ground.

Her eyes opened slowly as the light left her. She sat up instantly, ignoring the feeling of a strange disturbance inside of her.

She heard a horrible roar of anger..hatred. She looked toward the sound and saw nothing. Where were they?

What was happening to her? In the air everything had seemed so strange. Her vision had begun to warp..she'd begun to see her self outside of her body..and then suddenly she was in her body again. He had been trying to remove her soul? To replace it with Abigail's? She was sure that was really strong and forbidden magic. Wait why was she worrying about that right now? Where was Ron?

A sudden yell came from the same area she'd heard the first scream. This one was more high-pitched and she knew it was Ron.

She scrambled up and began to walk quickly over to the sounds.

_Wait_

Hermione stopped short. The voice was urgently telling her to stop. She waited where she was.

Ron wrenched Richard's hands from his throat finally and ran back up the slight slope. "Hermione we have to get out of here!" he shouted, red whelps around his neck.

"He was trying to choke you?!" she stood rooted to the spot.

"Come on!" Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him, running flat out.

They ran across the snowy clearing. They were almost there…maybe the glass wall was gone. Suddenly Ron was flung off his feet; Hermione fell beside him, her mouth now full of snow.

The wind picked up and seemed to scream as it rushed through the trees and around the clearing like a tornado, snow and rain mixed into it.

Richard was walking toward them, his eyes still black, his face contorted with anger. The way his cloak billowed in the wind, as his hair, it gave him a sinister appearance. A dangerous appearance.

He was coming right for Ron.

"Ron fight him! We have to get rid of him now!" Hermione screeched over the wind.

Ron looked at her hopelessly. "He broke your wand down there…when he was trying to kill me!" he ran his hands through his hair.

"Find yours!"

_It's in you. The magic__….__you need not a wand._

Ron closed his eyes briefly and suddenly he knew exactly where his wand was. He stood up and sprinted across the clearing, darting past multiple blasts from Richard who was following him with clear intent on killing him.

He skidded and grabbed the wand in mid fall, managing to keep his balance. He ran until he was directly facing Richard. He swallowed and wiped the freezing snow and rain from his face. He looked at those purely black eyes, his blue eyes like a turbulent storm burning with multiple different emotions.

"Use the_saint __lumière_ curse!" Hermione screamed at Ron. She prayed silently that he would be able to cast such a powerful spell that he'd never once used in his life. If he did it properly, it should be able to at least damage Richard. "Remember he's immortal …and he's much much more advanced at magic than you. Not to mention he's fueled by hatred…he's too strong without –"Hermione was cut off.

"I have this Hermione!" Ron shouted over at her, but watched Richard.

Richard was paying no attention to Hermione; he'd lost interest in her for the moment, until he could get rid of Ron.

Before Ron could even raise the wand again, Richard blasted him into a tree. He tasted blood. Richard raised his wand again and flung him into the ground repeatedly, he was engulfed in darkness. He clenched his teeth, he would not scream. The feeling of millions of sharp knives drove into every inch of his body and his skin burned. He could not see anything. He could not move. Suddenly he was released from the spell as if it had never happened and thrown into the ground.

Ron stumbled up again and looked for the wand. He heard a snap and looked to see Richard snapping the wand in half and throwing it into the wind.

"I am tired of this game. I am going to kill you now."Richard said with no emotion. "Watch, princess as you love everything YOU EVER CARED ABOUT!" with these words he raised his hands to the sky and a beam of light formed between them. He pointed it at Ron.

Ron was rooted to the spot, he couldn't move even if he wanted to. This was not happening.

"Ron move!" Hermione cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could not lose him.

The light in Richard's hand turned into millions of tiny sharp spikes.

It happened in slow motion…Ron's eyes widened as he saw the gleaming spikes in the air. Richard put his hand forward, sending the spikes flying directly at Ron. Hermione got up quickly…she ran in front of Ron, her arms out. Ron's feet suddenly were able to move, he fell. Hermione was thrown backward into a tree, each spike finding its way into her body and pinning her there for a moment. Her eyes widened as the pain engulfed her.

The spikes disappeared as they were never there. She fell slowly to the ground, her blood speckling the snow. She fell with a thud on her back. Her eyes wide open staring up at the moon. She did not move. Time seemed to come back to it's normal speed. She lay in a puddle of her own snow stained blood. Her dress was covered in redness.

"HERMIONE!" Ron screamed running toward her. Richard stopped him and flung him to the ground with one hand.

Richard put down his own wand…no he dropped it. He walked slowly toward Hermione, his eyes were still dark, his face still emotionless.

Ron did not get up, he couldn't, he had been wounded and hadn't noticed. A jagged deep cut tore across his chest, his own blood falling into his hands. He could do nothing now but watch. The cold was getting to him now, he watched painfully. This could not happen. He felt empty. His eyes filled with tears, his throat felt tight.

Richard stopped suddenly. Pyreflies were coming from Hermione..and they were not her own. The pyreflies materialized into a girl. A beautiful brunette girl with long sweeping hair. Her image was as solid as his.

It dawned suddenly on Ron. Everything strange about Hermione was this girl's essence. The new way of speaking. The mannerisms. The strange eye color change he'd seen before. _She'd __been possessing__ her…_

Her dim lavender eyes looked sadly at Richard.

"Richard…" she said softly, her voice rang in the air like music, suddenly the storm around them calmed, though it did not stop. She silently approached him, he did not move nor did he speak. She touched his face her hands were as cold as his skin. She shook her head solemnly. "Please..let's go."

"Abigail.." a voice said. It was deep inside of Richard…it was completely different from the cold calculating voice Ron was used to hearing. It sounded like a normal person..a person who was hurting.

"I do not blame you…for what happened to us…it was no one's fault. Not yours, mine, Lumina's, Ginger's, or Roy's. No one is to blame." She said softly looking hard into those black eyes.

Their hair blew in the wind; they seemed ….it was unexplainable to Ron. He felt as if he was eavesdropping on a private conversation.

"Richard…you…where are you? Come out…you have lived in this darkness too long. You are frozen when your heart not open..I tried many times to reach you..but you were lost. In darkness…hatred..your shadow controls." She sighed, the way she touched him, Ron thought. It was clear they were close..they'd been in love. His worry for Hermione increased as he watched them.

"I do not want to return..our time..is over. Come back with me. We have missed you." She pulled him to her and his body vaguely obeyed.

Abigail's lavender eyes looked at Ron while she hugged Richard. She said nothing to him, she just gave a small sorrowful smile.

"What about Hermione?" he asked hoarsely.

Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope in her eyes before she pulled away from Richard.

"Please…we're all waiting on you." Abigail said softly to him.

His eyes..they were changing. They were silver again. He looked behind him at Ron. Ron was startled. He looked normal…his skin was no longer pale, his eyes held no hatred, his face held human emotion. It was then that Ron realized..that even him..he was a person too. He'd been alive and all of that had been taken from him by one immature person.

Richard looked from Ron and his eyes feel on the body of Hermione.

"We will." Abigail assured him. Of what? Ron wondered. "Go to her…" she looked at the lost red head again.

Ron numbly nodded and half walked half crawled to Hermione's body.

Richard pulled Abigail to him and embraced her tightly and closed his eyes, his hair fell over his face covering it from view. Abigail held him too, her eyes closed as well.

Ron did not see this because he was not watching very closely, but their Pyreflies began to leave their bodies..slowly they disappeared completely, their Pyreflies floated around the two.

It was then that Ron's eyes began to dim, he lay across Hermione, his hand holding her lifeless one. He closed his eyes and everything went dark.

**_A/N: Well? Reviews people! Don't worry….tehehehe… Just tell me what you thought alrighty? Did everything get explained to you guys? _**


	24. Commencement

**_Chapter 24_**

Commencement

Some say it takes pivotal moments in one's life to make someone realize how important another is to them. Other's …or perhaps the same people…say that you do not know what you've got until it is gone. Ron had not understood this for a long time until the exact moment he'd lost Hermione..or thought he'd lost her. Several months ago, during winter, something had changed him forever. That moment when he'd awakened in that hospital he could think of nothing but her. Where was she? Was she really dead? And what about him? He thought he'd died too. His eyes had opened to see Harry and Ginny looking down at him, as well as several other friends.They told him that he'd been out of it for a week and three days. He'd asked them where Hermione was but they did not answer. Then he began to become afraid. What if he'd lost her? How would life be without her? He'd become upset and Madam Pomfrey quickly sent the others from the room.

It was only then did he hear the sound of soft shallow breathing to his left. A warm hand brushed against his, he looked into those warm brown eyes. She smiled at him softly and spoke gently.

"They gave their lives to us."

It was then that Hermione for the first time actually witnessed Ron cry. He'd looked away from her, his blue eyes filled with water. He wiped his eyes furiously and got up and hugged her right there. He told her everything that he could remember. How he'd thought she was dead. How she's been impaled by several magicked spikes. How Abigail had come out of her and talked to Richard. Then he added coyly how he thought that was a bit whimpy how Richard left. All of this through tears. Though he said a lot…she'd hoped to hear much less. Just three single words.

When Hermione saw those spikes coming for her, when at that split moment she'd jumped in front of Ron, she too thought it was over. She thought she'd never see anyone she loved again. Her parents. Her friends. Her sister. Her Ron.

---

When asked about what had happened to them, neither could remember, or at least that is what they told everyone. They remembered completely but they wanted to keep it private. It was their story. Their own private world.

Harry did not ever recall meeting Richard, but then again he had a problem to deal with…a very pressing problem. Ginny never remembered getting attacked by a werewolf. Luna was silent about her meeting with that person, because if she'd told anyone they probably wouldn't believe her.

She'd thought about him a lot for the next several months, though she kept herself to her work. Something in her felt a bit empty….incomplete. She had to know what had become of them. Though she'd never openly admit it now, she'd felt connected to them.

She sighed.

Her fingers ran skillfully across the strings of the instrument. She sat alone in that large room where once dozens of students her age had played. She was lost in thought, tears brimming in her eyes.

Ron stood silently at the partially open door, leaning against the wall in his black billowy Gown, he brushed the gold tassle that hung from his black cap from his face. He watched her play silently, amazed by the gentle music that wafted through the air.

"Hermione."

She looked up, her brown eyes laying on Ron. A smile passed across her lips and she slowly stood up, a bit of her tassle getting in her eye, making them smart. She fixed her cap firmly onto her bushy hair and strolled silently over to him.

"It's time then huh?" she asked, her hands in front of her contemplatively.

"Yeah." He shrugged, silently fixing her white and gold Honors cords and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She had become used to such intimate gestures, since he'd begun doing them several months ago. He gave no explanation for why he did them, except maybe when he'd coyly say that he was just appreciating a jem.

"I can't believe in a moment…it's about to be over." She smiled up at him and looked back behind her at the dark Orchestra Hall. She had already talked to the headmistress about getting it reopened and letting music be a part of Hogwarts again.

"Well…I wouldn't say it's an ending..but merely a beginning. " Ron commented. She closed the door of the orchestra hall silently.

"I like that.." she said.

"Should have used it in your speech. " Ron joked draping his arm around her shoulders in a platonic manner and leading them up the stairs taking them, for the final time, from the hall.

---

She'd promised herself she was not going to cry. But what a futile promise, how could anyone with emotions like hers not cry? When the traditional graduation music began to play, her eyes instantly watered. They marched across the field, her eyes watered more. She thought of everything that had happened. From the day she'd entered Hogwarts, not sure if she'd have friends, worried if she'd do well. To the day she'd met Ron and Harry. Now she was leaving. It, as the Headmistress had stated in her opening speech, a very bittersweet occasion. Honestly she'd not even expected to survive to graduation. But here she was, behind some girl who's last name started with a G as well. She gazed into the audience and caught her mother's eye instantly. She smiled brightly and continued on with the march.

They sat quietly in order, as rehearsed.

The sky was a deep orange color, as the sun hung slightly downward in the sky. Puffy white clouds stretched into the horizon. She stared at them for a long time until she began to feel dizzy. She turned her attention back to the speaker at the podium.

Each student's name was called one at a time and they were handed a diploma.

"Overwhelming huh." A girl from the front row whispered, turning around toward Hermione. She had silver eyes and long black hair. She instantly recognized her as the Slytherin girl with the twin. She nodded silently and dabbed the corners of her eye. The girl smiled and turned back toward the front. She whispered something to her twin sister, the Gryffindor.

"Raelyn Blackheart."

The Gryffindor girl, the one with the twin stood quietly and made her way to the stage. Blackheart? Oh it probably was a coincidence..then again who's to say it wasn't. He may have had other siblings…maybe.

"Robyn Blackheart."

She watched the twin with the longer hair, the one from Slytherin stand after her sister had sat. She walked proudly towards the stage.

Hermione swallowed and waited anxiously for her name to be called. Stupid fleeting thoughts crossed her mind. What if suddenly the school exploded? What if she tripped? What if they told her that she was too stupid to graduate and then took her robes and stomped on them? She shook her head and laughed to herself at her own stupidity. She could only imagine what Ron or Harry must be thinking.

"Hermione Granger."

She swallowed again, a huge smile plastered on her face, walked calmly onto the stage and looked into the face of the Headmistress, ignoring the applause in the background. She shook hands with her and took her diploma, turned her tassle to the opposite side, paused momentarily so the photographer could take her picture.

She stepped off of the stage.

"Imelda Grant" she heard as she headed back to her seat. She stared at the diploma. It was a small plaque with a glossy finish. Her name was embossed in gold against a black background along with the name of the school, the year of completion, and other important things.

She remembered her sister's graduation from a muggle High School. They were called across the stage and handed a blank piece of rolled up paper with a ribbon tied around it, later they were sent the actual diploma in the mail. She smiled at her diploma.

"Harry Potter"

She'd expected everyone to rise from their seats and scream, shout, stomp, cry, and everything else. Hell, it was to be expected giving the fact that he was the hero. They did nothing of the sort, to contain dignity of such an important ceremony. But she noticed they seemed to clap a lot louder for him than anyone else.

Harry did not trip she noticed, she'd expected him too, it was usual that something bad happened to him, why should this day be any different? She smiled to herself as he was handed his diploma and paused for a picture. His hair was still as unruly as ever she noticed as he left the stage. As he passed by her seat on his way back to hers she gave him a smile, he returned it sheepishly.

"Toolyan Quagmire"…

She watched student after student receive their diploma. Some she knew, some she didn't. She'd always had wanted to meet every single student in her graduating class but never really got around to it. Her she ran her hand across her neck and her fingers came in contact with the delicate chain of her locket.

Her hands ran across the heart and she smiled to herself. This was the last day..she thought. The last day to tell him everything about how she felt.

"Ron Weasley"

Hermione looked up to see the tall red head go to the stage. She crossed her fingers and hoped he would not trip. He got his diploma, turned his tassle, stopped for the camera. A whistle came from the audience and sounded a lot like Ginny, Fred, and George in a chorus. Her cheeks grew red in embarrassment for him. Ron left the stage, his red hair, which had grown several inches in those months that had passed, floated behind him. He was almost off of the stage when he stumbled slightly.

"Oh Ron…" she muttered laughing slightly to herself as she saw him walk by as if it hadn't happened. He gave her a glance as he went by. She smiled.

Soon the last person was called. Harry was called to the stage again to do the Salutatorian speech, she listened vaguely to his words, worrying much more about her own speech that would close out the ceremony. She felt her stomach clench tightly and the horrible feeling of butterflies come.

"…..closing remarks by our Valedictorian, Hermione Jane Granger."

Oh dear this was it. She'd hardly ever spoken in front of a group of people. She stood and reminded herself calmly that her note cards were already on the podium for her. Everyone was quiet. She could hear her dress shoes crunching on the grass in a manner she felt was extremely loud and highly embarrassing.

She walked onto the stage and took her place at the clear podium. Suddenly she worried that no one would be able to hear her. No she was being stupid, the preparations had already been done. At least she'd not have to worry about a microphone with loud feedback at the worst moment.

Hermione stood straight and placed her hands on the podium, staring at her notecards for a moment. Suddenly everything she'd said on those cards..they seemed pretty useless. She did not want to say those words. So she decided to speak from her heart.

" When.." she began, her voice trembled slightly. She glanced at the graduates; her eyes feel on Harry who was watching her with a smile, then on Ron. He nodded. That slight nod gave her confidence. "When I was preparing my speech…I tried to think of the perfect thing to say. Something better than anything my predecessors could have possibly come up with, because that is me. I like to be the best at everything I do." She began. She got chuckles from the audience. She relaxed. "But as I stand before you today." She continued, her voice was louder than she'd expected. "those words now seem a bit…forced. So..I shall speak from my heart. That's the least I can offer on our last day together as students at Hogwarts." She continued.

"Seven years is hard to sum up in a few paragraphs. These seven years of time have been the most amazing in my, as I'm sure others agree in their lives too. When I first came to this school I had no idea what was in store from me. I was a young girl who had known nothing of the magical world, my parents are both muggle- or none magic folks, and I thought I was too. Until I got a letter from Hogwarts. I was afraid of the future then but now I look brightly toward it. Things that have happened recently, and in the past have changed my perspective on many things…one of those things…is to never lose sight of what's important to you. A wise person once said 'there is a consequence for being a fool' and oh how that is true. Being fooled into believing that there is nothing more out there after we leave my fellow classmates..it will have those consequences. Like the consequences we had when we were late for Transfiguration, or when we made a potion explode in Potions. Consquences when we ate to fast and had to have the pretty girl beside us do the Heimlich maneuver.." she smiled at the memory of Harry gasping for air and a random seventh year running over to help him. He'd thought he was in love with her for a week. "But of course..these consequences will be much dire. So I say to you my fellow friends and classmates, make the most out of life and don't think that just because our time at this great establishment is over that it truly IS over. When one door closes another one opens." She continued.

"….the people I met here, are all very unique and special to me and I know that even though we may go our separate paths, we'll always be in each other's hearts. Gone are the days when we are up studying late for an exam that's a mere three months away, gone are the days when we slap our best friend for trying to copy our Herbology notes.." she thought of the day she brought her hand firmly across Ron's face for that. "Gone are the days when we eat the amazing food prepared by the houselves..but gone are not the days of magic. With the defeat of our biggest enemy, I think it would be bold to say, those days have just begun. There is another saying. I can't recall who said it, but it means a lot to me. 'some men are born great and others have greatness thrust upon them'. Well how true that is. Everyone here is great though we all were not born of the same lineage, we are all tied together by the unseen strings of magic. I would have loved to meet everyone of you graduates..but of course that was not possible. But though we may have merely brushed shoulders, our paths will forever be interlocked. And to me..that is something that is truly great. But oh..I fear I am rambling." She continued, stopping while a few people chuckled at her words.

"……here at Hogwarts..or at any muggle high school or college I am sure..there are lessoned to be learned. Of course the lessons that come in books but no..they are not enough. I surprise myself with these words when I rely solely..or used to rely solely on my books. But no, the greatest lessons learned here were from our experiences. Now I had the privilege of being the best friend of someone who's life never seemed to be normal. But oh..no..that is not what I meant. I meant an experience of my own..a more personal experience that helped me grow closer to one of my best friends. The lesson I learned, and one I hope all of you learn is this: do not let anything pass you by if it means more to you than the world." Hermione continued on, and then finally. "..and with those closing remarks, I am Hermione Granger, your valedictorian for the class of-"

As she stated the year of graduation the graduates stood and began to whistle and holler. They all flung their caps into the air. The audience clapped. She smiled and walked from the stage, throwing hers as well and merging with the other graduates. She quickly found Ron and Harry near the middle of the crowd with Seamus,Dean,Parvati, and Lavender.

"You did good!" Lavender shouted wrapping her arms around Hermione in a tight hug. Hermione flushed modestly and picked her up her cap.

"Oh my gosh come on they'll want more and more pictures!" Ron pulled her from Lavender's grip and tugged she and Ron from the mass of graduates to the guests who were now also milling around talking to the graduates.

"Hard to believe we're graduates." Harry commented as they walked through the crowds.

"Yeah!" Hermione agreed.

They caught up with Ron's family first, they were with her parents.

"Our wittle brother has Graduated!" Fred and George said at the same time. Hermione noticed they'd grown several inches and their hair as well.

"Guys!" Ron flushed as they ganged up on him and shook him a bit. Hermione smiled and saw Ginny come toward her.

"Good speech Hermione." Ginny smiled and hugged her slightly. Before Hermione could say thank you Ginny walked past her to Harry and took his hand. She led him away from the others and they seemed to get in a deep conversation.

"I'm so proud of you."

Hermione turned around and had her eyes momentarily blinded by a camera flash. Her sister beamed from behind the camera. She was much taller than Hermione and dressed in a short dress, her husband beside her

"Thank you." Hermione always was happy to hear those words come from her sister.

"My baby!"

Hermione was enveloped in a hug by her mother, brown hair in her face, chest shaking with happy laughs and sobs. Hermione smiled and sunk her head into her mother's chest taking in her unique smell. Always of mint and perfume.

"Mum.." she smiled and looked at her father. He was beaming proudly at her. "Dad…sister.." Hermione looked from one of them to the other.

"I want to take a picture of you and your little buddies." Her sister chimed in looking behind her at the Weasely family .

"Oh okay! Ron! Fred! George! Come here!" Hermione screamed over at them, her tact completely forgotten.

The three red heads joined them.

"Oh and who is she?" George asked looking at her sister.

"My sister. Back off red head." Hermione threatened him. He chuckled.

"I wouldn't dare."

Her parents and her sister took multiple pictures of them all together, even Harry and Ginny interrupted their conversation to join them before Ron's parents came over.

Hermione's parents ended up getting into a conversation with the Weasley's. She stood slightly behind the crowd and watched them talk.

"See that's the candy girl. The baledicborian was the candy girl."

Hermione had heard that voice before. She looked behind her. Sure enough a little girl was pointing at her, dragging her mother along happily. Hermione waved them over and smiled. She'd almost forgotten about that girl.

"Kandice right?" Hermione asked stooping down to receive the generous hug from the girl. The girls arm went around her neck happily.

"Yep." Kandice replied.

Hermione stood and looked at the mother. "Hi." She smiled shyly. The woman smiled as well.

"So who is graduating here for you?" Hermione asked.

"Oh no one, we came here because my oldest daughter wanted to come and insisted we join her." The mother of Kandice said. Kandice ran from them and jumped on a tall black girl's legs.

"Okay okay!" the girls said being pulled by a surprisingly strong Kandice.

"Angelina?!" Hermione gasped in surprise. The girl had gotten even taller since she'd left Hogwarts last year. Her black long hair was actually down for once, smooth and beautifully framing her face. Her light brown eyes fell on Hermione brightly.

"Well well well." Angelina said taking Hermione in a brief hug. "Isn't it nice to see you.

"Irony. This is your mom and sister?" Hermione asked. Now that she looked again she noticed the striking resemblance in the three.

"Yep." Angelina Johnson smirked. "I was looking for Alicia and Katie, I assumed they'd come but I don't think they're here." She crossed her arms over her form fitting black top that she wore with matching slim pants and heels.

Hermione looked past Angelina at the Weasleys and her parents. They were all still talking, Ron was now talking with Harry about something. George was still talking but Fred was not. He was looking over at them, a strange expression on his face as if he was trying to place someone.

"I think there's someone who'd be glad to see you." Hermione said, she raised her eyebrows at Fred hoping he'd get the message to come over.

"Uh..who?" Angelina frowned slightly, watching Hermione's eyebrows do odd things.

"Oh…that Fred boy I'm always hearing about?" her mother commented slyly, she too had noticed Hermione's gestures but she'd had enough sense to look in the same direction.

"Fred?" Angelina blinked; her cheeks seemed to become slightly red at the mention of his name.

"Yes he's..oh what do you know he's coming over here."

Angelina turned around and her face lit up before becoming a bit strange. As if she was trying not to appear too happy.

"Angel!" Fred said. "What a pleasant surprise."

Hermione heard an distinct "oooooohhweee" come from Kandice and a chuckle come from Angelina's mother.

"We'll be milling around." Her mom said taking Kandice's hand and leading her off in a random direction. Hermione stood there still, not actually knowing if she should leave the two alone or not.

"Pleasant? I thought you'd died or something. I haven't seen you since you burst out of school when that horrible woman was here last year." Angelina said crossing her arms.

"Oh sorry bout that, I meant to write or call but I've been busy. I'm so glad to see my best friend though. Likewise I hope?" Fred grinned. Hermione noticed he flashed the same type of lopsided grin that Ron did when he was trying to make a situation lighter.

Angelina scoffed but couldn't help but smiling herself. "Of course. We have a lot of catching up to do though.." she said.

"Yeah…" Fred said opening his arms. "Did I ever tell you how pretty you are right now?" he grinned. Angelina rolled her eyes and walked into his open arms.

"Awww!" came George's voice, he was now behind Angelina. They both hugged her at the same time resulting in a group hug, which Ron felt needed to be photographed.

Hermione walked away from them and milled around talking to other graduates, taking pictures when they asked her to. She found herself alone at the moment while everyone else was talking with their families and friends. Her friends all seemed to be preoccupied.

She found herself watching Ron, he was talking to his father. He was nodding about something, his hands constantly going to his hair, removing his cap, replacing it. He'd grown so much, and not merely physically. He was so much more mature. As she'd grown stronger as well…she found herself feeling there was only one..or two people to thank for that. Though neither of them seemed to be here at the moment..and she'd hardly expected them to be.

She looked away suddenly; Ron had looked over at her and caught her eye. She was sure he'd caught her staring at him. She looked up again to see him walking toward her, his expression was unreadable.

"Hey..can we go somewhere to talk? I wanted to…talk to you.." Ron asked as soon as he was in an earshot of her. She looked at him, what was so important that they couldn't talk about it right here amongst everyone else?

"Sure.." she muttered.

"Good." He glanced around as if he was trying to make sure no one was watching them. And no one was. Everyone was consumed in a conversation, a picture, tears, or something. The whole atmosphere screamed of change.

Hermione followed him across the grounds toward hanging vines. Her heart began to beat rapidly for a moment, she hadn't ventured near this area for several months. She'd been trying to forget it but sometimes late at night she'd wonder about it.

He took her hand and led her through the vines past the gazebo, and to the infamous cliff area where the moonlilies were trying to open themselves as the sun was beginning to set.

"Uh…Hermione." Ron stammered standing in front of her, not letting go of either of her hands. His blue eyes looked up to the sky and then back at her. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh..okay." Hermione suddenly felt slightly tense being in his presence, the air seemed a bit different now.

"I wanted to tell you I was sorry…" he trailed off looking at the ground. The moonlilies were beginning to open one by one and the pyreflies were thickening.

Hermione stared at him. Sorry? He'd never apologized to her before. Ever. It was always her who had to apologize. But here he was in his graduation attired asking her for forgiveness. For what? Was it for a single incident or was it for every little stupid thing he'd ever done to her?

"It's for…every little stupid thing I've ever done to you…I'm sorry for making you cry and stuff…if it wasn't for me none of this shit would have happened…though….I'm kind of glad it did..it made me see how horrible I'd been to you, especially during this year." He let her hands go and ran them through his hair, his cap falling to the ground with a soft thud.

She realized how on edge he was. She gazed at him softly.

"Oh Ron..it's fine…I forgive you…it's not your fault you are a complete prat sometimes." She added a joke to her words, hoping to calm him. He chuckled and looked at a couple of pyreflies float around, anything but look at her. The night had fallen before he spoke again.

"Uh…" he looked at her briefly before turning his eyes away to the vines, perhaps he was trying to make sure no one was listening.

"Oh Ron come on. Do continue before it is time to leave." She sighed slightly impatiently, she dug her heel of her black dress shoes into the ground while she waited for him to speak.

"Well…I've been thinking and…I think I've figured the reason why I treated you like that all these years..you know the constant arguing and stuff. I admit sometimes I goaded you on just so we could get in a fight." Ron found himself confessing. He'd not meant to say that…holy crap.

"I did too…" Hermione admitted. What was the point of holding it in now? This was done, Hogwarts as in their past now. This was virtually their final day on the campus. Besides..it all seemed a bit immature now, all of the fussing and fighting.

"Well..anyway." he tugged at his robes. "…the reason why..I think I'd been acting that way…was because I like…fancied..you……" Ron trailed off.

Hermione blinked and her heart rate began to increase. He'd fancied her? Surely he couldn't mean in the way she thought? But …she thought sadly…he'd used the past tense so obviously he was over it. Perhaps she was just a convenient crush..the type one would get on a friend just because they're there, they understand them, and they are a different gender. But never nothing solid and long lasting.

"What?" Hermione tried not to let her face show any emotion.

"Well…because ..I love you.." Ron's eyes widened as he realized what he'd said. He'd meant to say something a bit less dramatic..a bit less…intense. But..he couldn't take it back now. It was there.

"You…..you what? Bloody hell…you love me?!" Hermione's hand flew to her mouth and she paced slightly across the grass safely near the edge of the cliff. "Ron that is not funny..you shouldn't lie like that…you shouldn't say things like that to people..then you get their feelings all tied in a knot..then you get them all excited. You are getting me up so you can bring me down? Is that funny? No it's not Ron.." she gasped pacing back and forth, her cloak now had several Pyreflies clinging to it. Her pacing was riling them up, making the flowers spew. "Ron..you ..those three words are said far too much..they are supposed to mean something. You know you don't feel that deeply..you shouldn't play-"

Ron stopped her movement by taking her firmly by the shoulders. He seemed a bit more confident now. She looked up at him, his eyes reflected a wild ocean in that deep blue. Her brown eyes were full of doubtful emotions.

"Hermione I'm serious…I..I do…" Ron said, almost to himself. He did?! He did…it was no denying it.

"Ron…" Hermione parted her lips to make a firm point that his words were ridiculous and he shouldn't do this to her on her graduation night. That they had to pack tomorrow and get ready to leave. That he should be ashamed of himself. But she couldn't speak. Maybe he meant love as in friendly love. Like her love for Harry was friendly. Or Fred and Angelina's love. But no..that was a horrible example..it was clear those two harbored deeper feelings…oh what was she thinking? Perhaps like the love of a person for an animal. Yes that kind of love. She was his faithful puppy…but why was she a puppy? Why not a dog? Better yet a cat. Yes a cat…a beautiful cat..not like her cat Crookshanks..but something insanely fluffy. Yes…she was his faithful cat..but then again..he didn't seem to be fond of cats. Maybe she was his owl…like his stupid owl that constantly ran into windows? No horrible…maybe she was like Hedwig? Dependable and uniquely beautiful? Yes his love for her was like a cat. A pet. Nothing more than a friend. Yes-

Hermione's eyes widened as she realized what Ron had just did.

His lips brushed softly to hers. She closed her eyes automatically and kissed him back. Her hands trembled as a powerful electric sensation burst from her mind and traveled all the way to the tip of her fingers. She felt warm arms pull her closer until her body was pressed into his chest, his hands holding the nape of her neck and her hair gently. She leaned into his embrace and wrapped her arms around him, standing on her tip toes slightly. She let her feelings control her, she parted her lips slightly thus allowing him to deepen their kiss.

Her surroundings seemed to disappear, nothing seemed real. All she could feel was his warmth and his mouth covering hers. Was this really happening? Maybe she was dreaming? Maybe she'd fallen off of the stage while delivering her speech and was now in a coma.

They pulled apart slowly, relishing the last remnants. He looked down at her, his blue eyes seemed much calmer now, much happier. He smiled slightly, his cheeks slightly red. She smiled up at him, sure her cheeks matched his entirely.

"So…that kind of love…" Hermione said, her nerves slowly settling down.

"Yeah…that kind." Ron said softly pulling her close to him again and wrapping his arms around her.

Hermione lay her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around his as well. She gazed at the Pyreflies floating around them, nothing could have made this moment more special. Suddenly she felt as if they were being watched by a presence. Not as she'd felt months ago..but a nice presence. Two nice presences….

"I love you too Ron…" she said quietly.

Nothing she'd ever said had ever been so true in her life. In her mind she thanked _him._

-----

**_A/N: awww…well would you look at that? So…how did you guys like this chapter? I suggest reviewing before going to the next "chapter". Yep…well then..what next?_**

**_--- _**

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	25. Epilogue

**_Epilogue_**

Charmed

---

A woman around age twenty five could be seen standing on a quiet beach in the dead of night. She stared up into the sky at a beautiful full moon surrounded by stars. Her deep chocolate brown eyes searched the sky calmly. A soft warm breeze blew her pure white sheer gown like clothing. She sunk her toes into the sand, relishing the feeling.

She had grown to be a beautiful woman. Her hair had lost some of its bushy nature and was smoother and more like loose shining curls as they cascaded down her back stopping halfway. She crossed her arms and stared the silent orb that hung in the sky. It reminded her of someone she'd thought she'd forgotten….

It would seem that sometimes the worst thing happening to a person could actually open up their eyes. It would seem that sometimes they had to thank that opposing force for ruining their lives to make their lives much happier. As time went on he may have become a distant memory in the back of her mind, a part of her would never forget him. She had a lot to thank him for.

She looked at her hand, a beautiful engagement diamond ring sat proudly on her left hand accompanied by a wedding band. The moon seemed to reflect its light creating a prism of colors on the white diamond. She sighed, her breath being carried away by another gentle wind and into the vast dark sea.

Hermione Granger was now Hermione Weasley.

In fact they'd gotten married earlier this same day. She'd never thought she'd be married….especially not to him. But now she felt like the happiest woman in the world. Since their seventh year they'd begun dating and it took him eight years to ask her to marry him. She smiled to herself as she remembered how he proposed. He'd been acting strangely that entire month, claiming it was stress from his chosen career path. She'd scoffed and told him her job was much more stressful. Then suddenly he just blurted out the question, holding the ring box out to her. He was the only person she could see doing such an abrupt proposal. But at least he'd gotten on one knee first. More so than what Harry'd done from what his wife had told her. Ginny told her horror stories about the various ways he'd asked her to marry him, she couldn't believe any of them.

She sat down in the sand and let her toes be gently washed over by the sea, the cool liquid licking the sand from her feet. It was peaceful out here, she was glad she'd demanded they have their honeymoon here.

She hugged her knees close to her chest and stared once again at the moon, it seemed overly bright tonight. Maybe it was just her imagination giving the circumstances. This would be she and Ron's first night together…the thought made her anxious.

Her eyes fell on the waves crashing against the nearby rocks that dotted the island. She wondered about the future. How would she and Ron be as a married couple? How many children would they have? Why was she allowed to have a happy ending when so many others had not?

The wind ran its nimble fingers through her hair. She brushed it from her eyes and stared at the water. It seemed so calm, so vast. Suddenly a thought crossed her mind.

She stood and began to walk slowly toward into the water until it was up to her waist. The ocean spray gently tickled her nose. She spread out her arms, the wind blowing her long loose sleeves giving her the appearance of an apparition or an angel.

Lying on her back she let the water float her outward into its vastness for a while, she stared up at the moon as it loomed over her, it's luminescence throwing her into a mystified state. The water's gentle stillness did not move her from her spot unless she swam.

Her fingers caressed the water, and then something caught one of her fingers. She sat up in the ocean, bobbing slightly from the buoyancy and brushed her now wet hair from her face.

Laced around her fingers was a chain..no a bracelet, an open bracelet. Its catch seemed to be broken. It looked completely new, as if someone had recently dropped it. It was a charm bracelet. Her memory jogged slightly. No….this bracelet hadn't been recently dropped. It had broken off of someone's wrist. His wrist. How did it make it here? Then again. But…this bracelet had been in the ocean for years..why did it still look remotely new?

"Wow.." she muttered running her fingers over the delicate chains..seven of them all still correctly in place. She stared at the broken catch and it slowly repaired itself.

She could hear a voice on the shore. A woman's voice, it was soft and gentle. Then another voice joined it, it was a man's voice. She looked toward the shore and saw two people standing near the shoreline, they seemed to be embracing each other. It was something strangely familiar about them.

Almost urgently she swam toward the shore. The man reached out his hand to help her out as she reached the shore. She took his hand and walked out of the water, her crinoline white clothes were soaked and her hair hung in tendrils around her face.

"Thank you." She muttered looking up into the face of the man. She was suddenly taken aback. The man was young..wait no..that couldn't be right.

"I think she has figured it out." The young man's voice was very familiar. He looked over at the young woman he was standing beside, his arm around her waist.

"Hello..?" Hermione blinked looking from the man to the woman. She was a beautiful woman, with enchanting lavender eyes and long brown hair. Was she truly seeing things now?

"I think that belongs to me.." the young man said calling her attention back to him. She looked into his silver eyes and automatically held out the bracelet.

"Thank you." He took it from her hand without even touching her and slid it over his wrist.

"Richard?" Hermione breathed looking from one to the other.

A small silent smile came across his lips, he looked over at the woman …Abigail…again. She chuckled softly.

"We have to go now…thank you for finding it..we expected you to go here, it is a nice place for a honeymoon we know.." she looked over at Richard again. He seemed to roll his eyes slightly. She smiled.

"But….wait..what…I thought…"Hermione's mind raced. Where they really here? Were they really standing in front of her? She'd been able to touch him…they couldn't be ghosts..but hadn't they left to the farplane? And there was something strange about them now…not an eerie kind of strange. They appeared differently..but what was it?

"I'm sorry Hermione…"

She looked up at him again. "For what?" she asked stupidly. For what? For everything that he'd done. For killing her. For hurting her friends. For causing the beginning of her seventh year to be a living nightmare.

"For everything that I did to you…" he said raising his eyebrows as if he thought that were a stupid question. Abigail gently touched her shoulder causing her to jump slightly from surprise.

"That night…that terrible night we gave you our life's essence..we told you to live for us…and you have…we thank you as we also apologize." She gave her a small smile and nodded. She still possessed that undeniable grace, that glow that made her more beautiful than anyone Hermione had ever seen.

"I don't understand…" Hermione blinked, crossing her arms. The ocean's breeze was cold against her cold skin and thin wet clothes.

"Maybe you never will…" Richard said watching her calmly. She stared at him for a moment. The last time she'd looked into his face he was trying to kill her. He'd been shrouded in darkness and hatred. This Richard was almost completely different. Sure he carried himself as he always did…wearing completely black, hair covering his face slightly. But he seemed…maybe that's what Ron meant when he'd told her what he'd seen while she was 'out of it'. Hermione suddenly looked away and at her wedding ring.

"Mrs. Hermione Weasley…how nice." Abigail commented, watching her intently. "We know." She added softly, her words washed away by the wind so that Hermione did not hear them.

"Perhaps we shall meet again.." Richard said taking Abigail's hand, their bracelets shining in the moonlight.

What was it about them that had changed? It was so subtle…she couldn't place it….they seemed…

"Hermione!"

They all looked in the direction of the sound; it was a figure coming toward them down the beach, walking a bit quickly.

"Oh that must be Ron." Hermione looked back at them to tell them. They were gone. She blinked.

"Hermione I was wondering where you were." Ron said as he reached her.

Ron had grown even taller. His red hair once again rested handsomely at his shoulders framing his matured attractive face. His blue eyes looked down at her with what could be noted as love and only that.

"I told you I was going down to the beach for a moment." She said.

"Yeah but that was like….an hour ago….I got a bit worried that you may have flung yourself into the ocean and drowned." Ron shrugged. His build had become more athletic, which complimented his lanky frame.

"Funny." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm probably right….you're soaked." Ron said pushing her wet hair behind her ears and kissing her forehead. "Who were those two people you were talking to?"

"Eh…I'll tell you later." She said, that would be the best idea. He usually wasn't very fond of mentions of Richard. If she'd told him that he'd just come up to her on the beach and got his bracelet from her…which she had no explanation how she'd gotten it. He'd probably be so upset he'd go to bed early without following a specific tradition. Then again…maybe not.

"Oh….okay." Ron placed his hands on her shoulders and looked over her. "Why exactly are you wet?"

"I wanted to float in the ocean. You don't mind do you?" she smiled up at him mischievously.

"I like it better that way." He countered pulling her close and kissing her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, getting lost in his touch. The wind blew around them gently.

Suddenly Ron picked her up bridal style.

"Ron…you're stronger than I thought." She giggled holding onto him around his neck.

"I could say the same bout you….bloody hell did you have to punch me last week?" he joked, kissing her lips briefly.

"Yes. You knew better than to joke about losing the rings." She pecked him softly, her lips brushing his gently.

"You ready?" he asked beginning to carry her back to the beautiful resort hotel they were staying in that was situated a cliff overlooking the sea. They themselves had a beautiful honeymoon suite with a beautiful view.

Hermione lay her head on his shoulder. "For what exactly?" she said, she knew exactly what he meant, and her cheeks tinged red.

"Hehehehe you know what I mean."

He carried her toward the hotel. She looked over his shoulder at the beach.

What was so different about them? Why did it bother her so much that she could not figure it out?

She let it go, whether they were the past or a future of some strange sort, she had to let it go. Her mind was focused on the moment. A moment that would begin a new future for them..

---

**_A/N: Sniffle… _**

**_Well…I must admit I had a bit different epilogue planned but as I began to write..it just came out. Now then..I guess that's it. I had a lot of fun writing this story, and reading everyone's reviews. I want to thank all of the readers who stuck with the story from when I started writing it in 2006 up until now. And I want to thank the new readers who just started reading a few days ago. I feel like there's something missing from the ending..if I figure it out I'll be sure to fix it. Hmm..what else. Oh yeah. Are you all ready for Saturday?! We all knows what happens Saturday right? I'm glad, at least something will take my mind off the pain in my right and left arms since I had to get like 6 shots all in the same day. Damn I hate needles. Painful every time. Even if the doctor says it's not. But I'll look at the bright side…at least all of you will have to go through that one day mwhaahhhhahahhh..._**

**_Anyway thanks everyone and I guess this is the end? Hmm…tell me your thoughts, theories, and all. Review review review. Don't forget to Review the chapter before this one…yep…. _**

**_Well that'll be all. _**

Goodwitch2008


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